The Road to Hell
by overthemoonday
Summary: What's worse- a psychic who can't remember how to survive, or her friends who are forced to save the world? The road to tomorrow is never easy. The road to hell is worse.
1. Wait For Me

_This story was inspired by To Be Human by EibonVirgo, one of my closest friends, motivation, and trusted ally. Without you, I would not have ventured into this wonderful path I now call home. _

_Thank you, everyone. You are my irreplaceable friends that I cannot live without._

_I hope you enjoy every second of what I give, as I enjoy every second I spend with you._

_Xoxo_

_Kara_

* * *

"_Wait!_"

I feel like I'm falling, yet I can't see where I'm going. I can't move. Everything hurts; I don't know what's going on.

"_I'm coming!"_

Do I know that voice? It doesn't sound familiar. I try to reach out, but find myself unable. Yet...

_"I'll find you!"_

Gods, it's bright. Too bright. I open my eyes for a brief second, only to close them again because of the pain. I realize that there's a hand holding mine. I have to try to open my eyes. It takes too long for the world to focus into view, but there's a girl sitting next to me. I see blonde hair. Her hand tightens on mine once she sees my eyes land on her.

"You're awake!" The girl breathes out, her light blue eyes widening in shock. She stands up, her blonde hair falling into her face, but she doesn't seem to care. Her focus is only on me. "I-I'm so sorry! It's kind of confusing waking up in a strange place. I'll try and explain! My name- it's Rise Rikiya, I was just walking by when I-I, well, I saw you crashed your D-Wheel. I didn't have a name to give you, and-" She cut herself off. Her voice drops to a whisper. "They don't let people from the Satellite here. I think you're from the Satellite. The clothes you were wearing, and where you crashed...I-I didn't want to get you in trouble, and you were really hurt, so I gave you a fake name, but if you have a name I can tell the doctors! A-and I won't tell them what I saw!" She bit her lip, seemingly ending her ramble. I opened my mouth to speak but ended up coughing instead. How long had I been out? What was the Satellite?

"Oh, I'm so sorry, of course, you can't speak right now. I'm an idiot. You just woke up," Rise let go of my hand to reach for water on the side table. She helped me into a sitting position before helping me hold a cup of water. The water felt refreshing against my dry throat. "You've been out for a week," Rise quietly informed me as she rubbed my back with her free hand.

"A week..." I echo. My voice is raspy.

"Do you have a name I can tell them?" Rise's hand found mine again.

I sat still. The room felt cold. Without looking, I could tell it was dark outside. The white walls felt suffocating with the only color in the room being Rise's presence. I shake my head. Dark black hair, almost blue, falls in front of my eyes. This is the first glimpse of myself I've had.

I didn't even know I had black hair.

Why didn't I know my own hair?

"I don't know," I answer in a small voice. Rise takes in a breath, letting out a quiet, "_Oh."_ I look up at Rise, meeting her eyes. She seemed to realize what was wrong.

"You don't...remember anything," Rise looked heartbroken. She looked at me and squeezed my hand.

"What...what name did you give me?" My words are low. Unsure. I don't know who I am.

"Kallen," Rise answers with a small smile. "I named you Kallen Rikiya. Please..." She let go of my hand and bowed. "Let me take care of you!"

.

.

.

* * *

_"I'm coming, wait for me! I hear the walls repeating._

_The falling of _**_my_**_ feet and it sounds like drumming._

_And _**_I_**_ am not alone._

_I hear the rocks and stones echoing _**_my_**_ song._

_I'm coming!"_

_(Hadestown)_

**PART 1 - HEY LITTLE SONGBIRD - LINK START**

* * *

There's no better way to start off a day than by being hungover and barely existing on this plane. So here we are.

It's too bright outside. I forgot to shut my curtains last night, which means now the light is pouring in. Specifically, it's right onto my face. I don't want to move to close the curtain. _Fuck_, my body hurts. I don't even remember what I did to deserve this headache.

I lift the covers of my blanket to cover my head. I want to block out the sun, despite knowing there was no point. My alarm goes off for a second later.

_You have one voice mail._

The machine beeps. "_Kallen! I hope you haven't forgotten about me. I didn't hear from you at all last night! Well, I did, but-" _A giggle sounds from the machine.

Right. Rise must have tried to call me last night. Something tells me I was _gone_ by that point. But she would understand. She's been there for me since the beginning.

I woke up, a little more than a year ago, with no memories and a wrecked body.

Apparently, I crashed my D-Wheel, but shit if I remember. My helmet was crap- made from foam and plastic- which lead to my 'traumatic brain injury'. Something went wrong, I wasn't getting oxygen to my brain, or something related to that. Now I can't remember the first however many years of my life. Adding burns, scrapes, and scars I can't get rid of, and you have Kallen Rikiya.

But Rise...that girl went out for me- someone she didn't know. She gave me a name. She thinks I came from the Satellite. She didn't know how I got there, but she gave me a name to protect me. A week later, she had a letter in the mail. Neither of us understood how, but someone had given _me_ documentation to prove I was Kallen, a member of Neo Domino City. I had an ID card, a D-Wheel License, and a student ID for Neo Domino City's Duel Academia. I joined that week. I owe Rise everything I have, right from offering me her place to crash for the first few months, down to helping me find a job.

But for the love of the gods, did Rise really have to pick to go to a party _tonight? _Rise may have just gotten her footing in launching her singing career, but I deserve a break too, dammit.

_"You promised you'd go tonight. Remember? It's the after-party for the Friendship Tournament. I'll be there to pick you up at six. I'll treat you to dinner! Love you!"_

I groaned, my lips forming a word that maybe wasn't nice to say, but they made me feel better. I reach to pull the blanket off of me, my dark hair in my face. I need to sit up. My body moves on its own, albeit sluggish, as I force myself into a sitting position. I'm wearing one of Ike's shirts- which, when did I get one of Ike's shirts? Why am I wearing it? Why the hell do I have it? I know I gave back all of his shit when we broke up. Why is it here- on my body? Why has this become another event in a sea of things I don't remember?

"Show me today," My hand goes towards my cards, AKA one of the only things they found that belonged to me after my accident. A tarot deck. I know I've used it in the past, but recently all I've been using it for is daily horoscopes and shifty street duels. I pull- my eyes closing as I move the card towards me. I know which one it is without looking. The card whispers, its voice clear.

0\. The Fool. A card that stands for new beginnings, a new path, a new adventure. It's also a warning. Watch where you put your foot or fall in a ditch.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

"Fun," I force myself out of bed to do the normal routine. Shower, eat, work on my D-Wheel, _no_. I can't do that today. I have work. Could I upgrade it while at work? The poor thing has come a long way since our entrance into Neo Domino City, but there are always things that could be _better._

I could be better. My fortune said new beginnings, right? A smile hits the edge of my lips. My body turns on instinct, my hand reaching out for a glass of water. I concentrate.

The glass starts to tremble. It slides off the desk, its form floating in the air. A bubble of laughter escapes my lips. My powers, for the last few months, have been _erratic_ at best. Ike was wrong. He could shove his opinions up his-

The glass shatters. It takes me a second to register what happened.

"Shit," I sigh.

No, nothing has changed. I'm still me. I'm still Kallen: the Psychic girl with no memories and no way to control her powers.

A knock sounds at the door. "Yeah, come in," I know who it is already. There's one other person who knows me well. Elodie Morgan peeks her head in the door, her almond-shaped black eyes rolling when she sees me.

"Just as I thought," Elodie closes the door behind her. Her magenta hair was pulled out of her face. She was dressed for work, where she was an intern at the Public Maintenance Bureau. "Hungover. Do you ever learn?"

"Where's the fun in that?" I muse back. Elodie Morgan, who came from a family of Public Maintenance Officers, was my best friend back at Duel Academia. When we found out I was a Psychic, she was the one who covered for me by saying the duel disks were malfunctioning after I accidentally knocked her back with my powers. I don't know how she did it, but she convinced them. She's been my friend ever since, and also the probably the reason I wasn't persecuted (or expelled) on the spot. I wasn't the first Psychic to be outed there.

"You're ridiculous," Elodie let out a sigh.

"Here," Elodie reached for her bag and took out a take-out box.

"My hero," I reach for the box and sits it down on the table. I begin to dig in as I ask, "So, how did you know I'd want this?"

"You called me last night," Elodie replies in a dry tone. She sips some of the iced coffee in her hands. "You know, it's _illegal_-"

"Not if you have the right ID," I remind her in a hum.

"That I made for you to get that bar piercing in your ear, not to sneak into some _bar-"_

"Psycho. The bar's called Psycho. I said I wanted it to get a bar, didn't I?"

"...really not the point, Kal," Elodie twirls some of her hair between her fingers- a nervous habit she's always had when she was uncomfortable.

"What'd I say?" I can barely speak between the mouthful of food.

"On the voicemail?" Elodie frowns. Her cheeks flushed as she let out a tiny laugh. This makes me set down my food, my eyebrow raised. I'm not sure if it was more embarrassing for her, or for _me_. "You said you were out with some guy, but not to worry, because it wasn't like you were going to _sleep_ with him. Then you went off until the voicemail cut you off about how you were over Ike and not going to do anything with him again."

"Wild. Drunk me is a psycho. A psycho in Psycho."

"I think it's the first time I've ever agreed with drunk you," Elodie chuckles. I roll my eyes. "_Speaking of," _Elodie shoots me that innocent wide-eyed look, and I know I won't like the next words that will come out of her mouth.

"No," I reply automatically.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!" Elodie shoots me a look, but her doe eyes make it hard to take her seriously as a threat.

"Whoever it is, I don't care," I shrug my shoulders, my eyes meeting hers. "Lemme guess. Some up and comin' duelist just arrived, and you think we'd be a great match." I stab my food with my chopstick. "It's a no."

Elodie puffs up her cheeks, then slowly deflates. "I just want you to be happy," Elodie speaks softly. I stop. Without Elodie, I...would probably be in the Detention Center. It's where Ike should be. I let out a breath, my gaze moving up to look at Elodie. Dammit, I can't look at her when she's upset. Her eyes start to water.

"Who is he," My voice is flat and unenthusiastic. Elodie perks up, a radiant smile crossing her features, a swift change from a moment prior.

"His name is _Jack_ _Atlas_. My brother is his bodyguard until they get him set up in his new suite in the Tops, but Godwin seems to really like him. That's what my Dad said," Elodie's eyes are lit with positive energy. Something bothers me about the name. "I think you'd like him. He's just starting out, but he's already won some tournament-"

"Atlas," I murmur, not entirely listening to Elodie. She means well. "Isn't that the new King of Games?"

"So you _have_ heard of him!"

"Doesn't make me interested."

"Come on, Kal, give him a chance." Elodie raised an eyebrow towards me. "I bet you'd like him if you gave him a chance."

"Yeah?" I reach for my deck and pull a card, but end up grabbing the empty air. That means it's a card I'm missing. A full tarot deck contained twenty-two major arcana, but I was missing two of them: X. the Wheel of Fortune and XVII. the Star. I pull back my hand, a smirk crossing my features. "Guess we'll never know. I can't predict what's not there."

Elodie's face falls. "Do you think..." Her voice trails off. I finish the last of the food.

"Dunno," I know what she's asking. Will I ever find my missing cards?

"Do you think they're-"

"In Satellite?" I toss my empty box into the trash can, successfully landing it. "Maybe. It's not like I plan on going back there and lookin'."

"I don't know...maybe it's worth a shot," Elodie reaches for one of my hands and holds it in hers. Her dark eyes beam at me, a soft smile on her lips. "Maybe you'll find someone waiting for you there."

I swallow. "Sure," I stand up, letting her hand drop from mine. "Too bad it's illegal for us to go there, yeah?" I reach for my jacket, a dark blue fitted cropped jacket with black shoulder pads, and throw it over my dark red tank top. I catch a glimpse of myself in the small mirror on the wall. I look at myself and see black hair that's almost blue, gold eyes, and both the pentacles and star charm necklaces around my neck. The piercings in my ear are what I got after I came to Satellite, but the two necklaces are items I arrived with. My fingers fiddle with the last item of my past life, a sigma-ring on my right-hand index. All of these were clues to who I _should_ be, but none of it added up. The thing that gives the most story was my D-Wheel, a heap of trash built together to create a working motor that somehow landed me in Neo Domino City.

But beyond that? Nothing. Everything else is Kallen's. Everything else I own is what I built myself starting from when I crash-landed.

This is what I tell myself, anyway.

"Are you heading to work?" Elodie stands up from the chair while slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder. "Do you need a ride? It's on my way."

"Thanks, but," I grab my helmet from its position from the floor and hold it up. "Have fun working as the government's lapdog."

Elodie puffed up her cheeks in fake annoyance. It's a joke between us. She'd been working lately as an intern for the Public Maintenance Bureau. "Have fun at the party," Elodie stuck out her tongue with a wave and a playful grin. "I _hope_ you meet someone nice there!" I wave back as she closes the door. The click echoes off the walls, the only noise in my now empty apartment.

* * *

"There she is!" Are the first words I hear as I enter the garage. Mateo, my coworker, spews some words I don't understand, but I know it's something in Spanish that would irritate me. Tanned skin, green eyes, and an egotistical face are how I would describe him. He thinks he's hot shit because he's the only one in the garage without a mark on his face. Or was, until I came along. "_Mi Amor,_ and here I thought you wouldn't come. The last I saw you, I held your hair back in the women's bathroom."

"Mateo," Devyn, a _majestic_ beauty with dark skin and dirty blonde hair, hisses at him. "Get back to work."

"Not after I check up on our rookie," Mateo slings his arm over my shoulder. I swipe at his arm, throwing it off. Mateo's smirk never fades from his face. I want to punch him. "So?"

"What do you want me to say?" I shrug off my jacket, placing it on top of my D-Wheel. "I kept up with you all night, jackass. Don't forget that. I can handle a few drinks."

"A _few drinks_. Right." Mateo snorted. "And yet I didn't score a single thank you for keeping you alive," Mateo dramatically sighed. "There's no appreciation for a savior."

"It must be surprising that women don't want to have sex with you," I replied in a deadpan tone. I hear Driss chuckle from the corner where he's working on a broken engine. Driss, who came in around the same time I did, was a quiet man with dark skin and dark green hair. He was my favorite to work with. He just _knew_ machines.

"Oh come on, don't be like that-" Mateo was cut off when a remote came flying through the air. Mateo only barely caught it. He fumbled with the small device before safely securing it in his hands. Devyn was standing, a scowl across her perfect features.

"Put something on if you're going to talk," Devyn pushed her bangs out of her face, revealing the mark on the outside corner of her left eye. "It's easier to work if I can't hear you."

"No one appreciates me," Mateo cried but obliged. I chuckled. I sat down beside Driss. He handed me the torque wrench silently, and with a nod, I set out to work. We moved in perfect unison, all without speaking. It was bliss.

I don't hear at first what Mateo put on. I can hear him talking, but I don't listen. I put my focus on my work.

_"-and we're standing here with the King himself: Jack Atlas!"_

You have to be FUCKING kidding me.

_"King, what are your thoughts?"_

_"I've known that I was meant for the best."_

A deep voice blared through the TV. I don't hear anything else.

I...I know that voice. Why do I know that voice? It's in the back of my mind. It's so familiar, but so...wrong. How would I know him? It was impossible. I've never met him before. He's just some rich asshole born and raised to step on people like us to stay rich.

My head hurts.

"Kallen?" Driss stares at me in concern. I come back to reality with a shake of my head. The way he's staring at me, I know he called my name a few times before I finally heard him. Devyn shoots me a look, but I give her a thumbs up.

"_See_, I knew it! Our girl can't keep up with-" Mateo starts his way over, but I hold up my wrench in the air.

"One step and this flies towards your head." My words are half-joking but half-serious. It's a gamble which side will win, and he knows it, but the smirk never fades.

He's won this round and he knows it.

* * *

"You didn't tell me this was a party for the new King of Games," I grumble beside Rise. I've resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be able to escape from Jack Atlas, but I could do my best to avoid him out of sheer spite. Rise has a death grip on my arm, but a joyful smile on her lips. She's radiating, but she always has been. Today she's wearing her pink wig, combined with a glittery gold dress, and light pink heels. Beside her, I'm wearing a black lace dress with a long flowing sheer skirt and wine red heels. The top has a deep v cut, exposing my pentacles' necklace.

"_You_ didn't ask," Rise cheerfully replies. "Wait until you hear about the conversation we had last night," Rise has a mischievous grin. I let out a groan.

"I don't wanna know," I'm laughing. She lets go of my arm to grab two champagne glasses from a passing waiter, her charm in full swing as she thanks the man and blows him a kiss. He looks as if he might fall over on the spot.

"Careful," I tease. She winks at me as she hands me the glass.

"Not too much," She warns in a lovely hum. "After all, could we really have _two_ nights in a row where you tell me about you stood on top of the bar and-"

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Yet I take the glass from her and sweep it down in one go. Rise laughs, her free hand covering her mouth before she lets out a pig-like snort. Gods forbid some reporters catch their idol acting like a dorky teenager. I swipe my chin with the back of my hand, thankfully avoiding smearing my lipstick. "You performin' tonight?" I ask.

"Nope," She pops the p. "Just invited. Although!" Her eyes light up. "Guess who got asked to perform at some new tournament coming up?"

"Who?" I ask dryly, my eyebrow raised.

"You know already!" Rise grabs onto my arm to stop herself from jumping up in down in excitement. "It's not just singing either. It's-!" Her face drops.

"What?" I tense. "What's wrong? Rise-"

"Someone's looking at you," She gets closer to me. I suck in a breath, my mind going all over the place. Then, just as quickly, she's grinning ear to ear. "You'll NEVER guess who it is!" She doesn't allow me to guess. I should have known she was just being melodramatic. "It's Jack Atlas! Jack freaking Atlas, _the _King, is staring at you! Kallen, I think he's interested!"

"Wild," My voice is monotonous.

"Oh, stop it," Rise rolls her eyes. "I bet you'd love talking to him. He's successful, popular, handsome-"

"And not Ike?"

"_And_ you'd love his D-Wheel. He calls it the Wheel of Fortune. Ring a bell? It's like your deck!"

Now that _is_ interesting. And curious. The Wheel of Fortune is one of the cards I'm missing.

"You win," I laugh, my head spinning to stare at this _mysterious_ King of Games. "Fine, I'll take a look-"

My breath hitches. I stare back at blonde hair, purple eyes, and yeah, a handsome face.

But that's not what gets me. If I thought his voice sounded familiar, his face? I see it somewhere in the back of my mind.

I know without a doubt that I know him.

And judging the way his eyes settle on me, the way he looks at my face, then down at my necklace, before sucking in a breath, I know he knows me too. I see him whisper a name, but I don't know what he says. I can't understand from this far away.

It feels like we're the only two in the room, just staring at each other. No one else at this party matters. I feel him, no- I know I feel a memory- but I can feel his hands pushing my hair behind my ear. I feel his hand around mine. We were running together, our voices melting together, laughing-

I can't breathe. It's too much. Too much is happening.

I see him start to make his way over. I don't know what comes over me, but I don't want to see him. I don't want to meet him. My mind is screaming at me to run, to get away, to-

The champagne glass cracks. I've lost control.

"I have to go," I say quickly, taking Rise by the arm and beginning to speed walk away.

"W-wait!" Rise is trying to follow at my pace. "I don't want to leave yet!"

"Then stay, but I'm going," I let go of her arm and start to walk. Rise reaches to take my hand. I stop. I close my eyes. _I have to go_. I can't be in this room anymore.

"Kal..." Rise's voice is soft. Caring. "Kal, what's wrong? What happened?"

"I..." I don't know what happened, happening, or... I don't know what's coming over me. I'm confused too. "I don't know," My voice is shaky. Rise's hand on mine tightens. I look up, turning to meet her eyes. I know my eyes are watering. "I want to go," I repeat. "I _need_ to go," This time, my voice breaks. It's when I notice the pressure around us. I shake. I lost control. I keep telling myself that. I've lost control. My emotions are all over the place, but I don't understand any of them. I don't know why I'm so upset. Rise's eyes widen. I force myself to take deep breaths, but I know I won't be able to concentrate until we leave.

"Then we're going." Rise is the one who takes the lead this time to the exit. "We'll drink wine and watch a movie at my place. You'll spend the night, just the two of us. Okay?" Rise looks back at me, her smile assuring me everything was okay. That I was okay. And I know I'm okay. I have Rise. She'll always be there for me.

But I look back one more time.

I see him. He sees me. He reaches out as if he could stop me, but the crowd converges around him. I can see him try to push through, to find me, but I'm already one step out of the exit.

I'm frightened. It's a feeling I'm used to, along with confusion.

It's because the past I want so badly to know is the same thing I'm terrified of.

"Let's go," Rise, the up and coming pop idol, smiles at me, her best friend. I don't deserve her. I never deserved her.

I don't deserve to know anything.


	2. Where I Want to Be

_"Who needs a dream?_

_Who needs ambition?_

_Who'd be the fool in my position?_

_Once I had dreams, now they're obsessions_

_Hopes became needs_

_Lovers possessions."_

_(Chess in Concert)_

* * *

_Listen to me. No, you're going to listen to me for once in your damn life, all right?! It's over! You need to get the hell out and run. Get help, I don't fucking know._

I see yellow. They're wiping their hands through their hair. I'm trembling, all the way down to the tips of my fingers, but I know it's not from fear. I feel in control of my emotions, a sensation that I had never been used to.

_I ain't leavin' without you!_

That's my voice. The sentence came as a hushed whisper, more of a hiss than anything else. I see magenta out of the corner of my eye. Someone moves from where they were leaning off of the wall and comes closer to our group.

_Do you think we got a choice? We need to split up. One of us needs to lead them away while the rest get away. That's an order. We can't fight this time._

His voice was calm. Stern. Someone comes beside me to hold my hand. It's gold. Their aura is gold, like mine, but maybe slightly different. That made sense. No one's aura was completely the same. Having an aura meant he was a Psychic, like me.

The images around me are blurry. I can't concentrate on a single object. It's as if there's a filter over my eyes, where someone put the out of focus wheel all the way up, completely distorting the world around. I feel a shot of adrenaline coursing through me as their words process through me.

_Get down!_

I'm pushed harshly to the ground by another person. Something _wet_ hits my cheek. Red is the only color I see. It's everywhere. I wipe my face, and my hand is smeared red. Someone is lying on top of me, hardly moving.

I hadn't even registered the gunshot until the shouting starts. I'm being forced onto my feet. They're telling me to take him and run, go get help, go doing something before-

_We surrender! I am the leader of the Arsenics, and we surrender. Don't shoot!_

I jolt awake, my breathing heavy. I turn, trying to find the loud noise, but sigh in relief. There were no guns. I had broken the light bulb in my lamp while I was dreaming.

At least...I hoped it was a dream.

No one was shot. I was okay. Everything was okay.

"Damn," I wiped my face with my hand. It's wet. I fling my hand forward to see what it is, but it's just my mind imagining things. I need to calm down. There's no blood, it's just streaks of tears. I'm not bleeding. I wasn't shot. No one was shot. I was crying. Just tears, Kal, no blood. Nobody's bleeding.

There was no one ever bleeding. It's just my mind playing tricks. I think.

I need fresh air. It's warm outside, probably, so all I do is velcro on my boots and fling my jacket over my tank top. Shorts are fine for a short walk. My clock says it's one in the morning, but I need a walk to calm down.

My apartment is in the heart of the Daimon Area, near where the normal duel tournaments happen. It's not safe, but it's cheap, which is all I care about. I'm not bothered that often, but it helps that I have friends in the Public Maintenance Bureau. By that, I mean Elodie's Dad and Brother are both officers, and they pretty much like me too.

I take a deep breath as I step outside. There's less light on the street I live on compared to most of the city, allowing a few stars to shine in the sky. However, the lights from the downtown area of Neo Domino City shines more prominent, reminding me I'm standing in the capital of duel monsters. It's a privilege to live here, or so I'm told. I could be in the Satellite.

Every day, I ask myself how I ended up here, but more importantly _why_ I came here at the attempt of my life. I know I'm an idiot. I make dumb decisions to get myself in trouble, but doing something knowing there's a chance I might not make it? I'm all for self-preservation. That's just who I am. My life comes first over anything, which is what gave me the strength to leave my shitty relationship with Ike.

Which makes me question, every day, what the fuck would make me leave the Satellite knowing I might not make it over alive.

Jack Atlas might know the answer, but how does that make sense? He's some rich prick from the Tops who became the King of Games. How does he know me, some no one garage girl from the Daimon Area? It doesn't make any sense. He's gotta have the wrong girl. Or maybe Rise was right, and he was only interested.

But there was the way he looked at me. He looked _at _me, like he knew me, like he knew every part of me. He looked like he knew me better than...well, than I knew myself. He looked right at my necklace, one of the only key clues from my past, and had something in his eyes that I craved to understand. And...there's me. There's the part of me that recognized him too. I could hear his voice, even if I couldn't understand the words, or what we were doing. I knew there was a past between us.

And it doesn't make any fucking sense.

I could ask him. It wouldn't be hard. Elodie works as Godwin's intern, and he's a prodigy of Godwin's. I could ask Elodie to set up a meeting between us, and I could ask him myself what he knew. Or I could ask Rise if we could go to another party, or even one of his duels, and I could meet him then. It would be too say to set up something between us because I knew exactly where he would be. If he really knew me, he could tell me my whole life story.

I shiver. My steps echo off the pavement as I shove my hands in my jacket pocket. My ponytail blows in the slight breeze. I need a haircut, I think. My hair is getting just below my shoulders. I just haven't had the time.

I can't stop thinking about him. Jack Atlas, the King of Games. Gods, do I even _want_ to meet him? A self-entitled asshole who only cares about how he gets to the top. Yeah, I'm that idiot. He knows nothing about me. He's got the wrong girl. There's _no_ way.

I'm Kallen. Just Kallen Rikiya. I'm a psychic duelist. I live in the Daimon Area, and I work in a garage near the fountain square. I graduated Duel Academia in the middle of my class. I wasn't the best, but I was nowhere near the worst. There's nothing else for me. Even if I knew...what difference would it make? The person I am wouldn't change.

Right?

I'm circling back around to my apartment. This was good for me. I needed a second to think. I'm trying to remember everything I need to do for tomorrow, but the list is short. Shower, pay rent, run and get groceries for the week. I'd just gotten paid yesterday. I think about giving Rise a call in the morning, maybe she-

_"Hey_." A voice hisses out. I freeze. At that moment, I realize I'm not alone. I turn slowly, coming face to face with a taller man, a mark running down the center of his forehead. He has a criminal mark.

I hadn't noticed him walking behind me. My eyes narrow. He's too close to me.

"What the hell do you want?" I lower my voice, trying to sound intimidating. Inside, I'm furious at myself. I should have noticed.

"I know who the fuck you are, you tomorrow bitch," He steps closer. I take a step back in defense. This seems to agitate him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I snap back, my hands leaving my jacket pockets to prepare for a fight. "Look, I'm just walkin' home. Get away, or I'm callin' Public Maintenance."

"Your little gang took everything from me. It's because of you I got this mark in the first place!" The man snarled, stepping closer. I tensed. Gang? What gang? I was never in a gang.

"You got the wrong girl-"

"I'd know you anywhere! The fucking Arsenic's _bitch_, the _tomorrow girl_," The way he says the name sends a chill up my spine. He spits it out, causing me to cringe when I see the spittle. His eyes pierce mine, and I see his fury. But that's not directed towards me, because I never did anything.

"You've. Got. The. Wrong. Girl." I voice each world slowly, stepping back once more away from him. He takes an enraged breath. I've said the wrong thing, but I couldn't care. It's the truth. "You got that? I wasn't in a gang." The Arsenics rings a bell, but I can't place it at the current moment. One asshole to deal with at a time, thanks.

"You're going to pay, you got that?! You don't got your team to help you!" The man steps forward, grabbing my wrist. I look up at him. I feel the pressure in the air rising. I can't breathe.

"Let go," I warn him, but my voice comes across shaky. He laughs. I close my eyes. "I said _LET GO."_ I push his chest. I feel when he finally releases his grip.

I also hear a crash. It sounds like someone hit the pavement. A breeze blows my ponytail back once more. I slowly open my eyes, only to see the man more than twenty feet away from me, clearly injured on the ground.

I did that. I used my powers on him. The man shakily got to his feet, his eyes full of fear.

"You-_you ain't some bitch_," He stuttered out, backing away. "You're a _witch._ A damn witch."

That's all I need to hear. I take off running. I don't look back to see if he's following, but judging by the fact I can't hear him following, I know he doesn't. I don't stop running until I make it back to my apartment, close the door, and lock it behind me. I sink to the ground, my back to the door, and don't stop sliding until my ass hits the ground.

I lost control. Again. Soon they're going to be hunting me down like the fucking Black Rose Witch. What would they even call me?

The tomorrow girl. I don't know that name. I don't know who the Arsenics are.

That's not me. That's not me.

_That's not me._

I reach for my phone, my hand instinctively dialing Ike's number. He knew how to control my powers. He was strong enough to stop me any time I lost control. He-

What am I doing? I stare at my phone. His number is on the screen, taunting me, begging me to stay on the line. I end the call instead of hitting '2', my speed dial for Rise. I put the phone up to my ear. It only takes three rings before she picks up.

"_Hello_?" Her voice is groggy. I'd woken her up.

"Hey," I try to keep my voice as neutral as possible, despite the fact it was Rise. "Look, somethin' happened and-"

"_Do you need me to come over?"_

"No, stay there. I'll come over."

"_Okay, love you. Hope you're okay."_

Yeah. Me too.

* * *

"Isn't he hot?" Rise raised her eyebrow at me as she licked her spoon, which currently contained mint chocolate chip ice cream, her favorite.

"Who?" I pretend not to know who she was talking about. It was hard not to, considering we were currently watching his duel against some Nordic guy. I don't remember his name. I'm not interested, and I aim to make that painstakingly clear.

"They say he's on the rise, you know," Rise pointed her spoon at the TV. "Being the King of Games and all-"

"I don't care."

"Come on, you can't tell me you're not even a _little _interested-"

"I'm not even a little interested."

"Did you see the way he looked at you? You can't tell me you didn't notice."

"I didn't notice. I was too busy trying not to have an anxiety attack." I move my position on the couch, taking my legs off of Rise's lap so I sit straight. "Does it matter? Can't we just drop it?"

"Fine," Rise puts her nose in the air. I know the conversation isn't done, but she'll drop it for now. "Do my fortune."

"Sure," I shake my head, but I love when Rise asks, or _demands_. I reach for my deck on my belt and move so I'm on the opposite side of her coffee table. She sits down on the floor in front of me, and I shuffle my deck. "What spread were you thinkin'?"

"How about a love spread-"

"This is for you, not for me-"

"Fine!" She rolled her eyes dramatically and huffed. "You can't blame me for trying. Let's do a past, present, and future one."

"Nice," I set my cards on the table. My deck, while being a deck that's perfect for duels, also functions as a tarot deck. I set down three cards in front of Rise. I pull another card, showing it to her.

"This is you," I explain, showing VI. The Lovers. "This is the card that represents you."

"Accurate," Rise stretches out the word, a grin on her beautiful features. I roll my eyes as I set the card down. I flip over the first card, representing the past.

"V. The Hierophant," I read. "It's upright. It's telling me you've shown a great deal of compassion and mercy. You take care of others." Rise is watching me with wide eyes, awaiting what I say. I pause. I slowly flip over the next card, representing the present. "Queen of Wands, also upright," I inform her. I smile. I can't help myself. "It says that things are looking up for you, and it's all positive. You're attractive. You're gaining success."

"Yeah!?" Rise moved in her seat in excitement. "What about my future? What does it say?" She can't contain herself. I laugh. It's cute. I reach my hand across the table to flip over the future, but I pause.

I know before I flip the card that it's not good. My cards are whispering to me, warning me. I lift this card up differently, deliberately moving it in a subtle way. "Nine of cups, upright," I read off, trying to make my voice even to disguise my lie. "It means you're going to be happy and good fortune is coming your way," I force a smile as I give a quick answer. Rise seems pleased with that answer.

I don't tell her that it was the nine of cups in reverse, meaning she was going to experience loss in some way. Something she wanted would leave.

Sometimes it was better to lie to make someone feel better. These were just silly fortunes anyway. The future could change at any point. This was just for fun.

"What does yours for today say?" Rise asked me with wide, curious eyes. Just to humor her, I pull a card.

"XIX. The Sun," I tell her, showing the card towards her. "Apparently, something good's gonna happen to me today." I set my card back down into my deck. "We'll see about that. You know, because..." I trail off.

After what happened the other night, I couldn't imagine my fortune looking up. I had thought about it more, what the man was saying. I couldn't connect the dots. It's not like I could _force_ myself to remember- what was the point? It wasn't me. Even if it was, it wasn't me anymore-

"You got that face on," Rise poked my forehead, drawing me out of my thoughts. I blinked. Rise tilted her head to the side. "You know, that grumpy face you got." Rise smiled. "I think I know what would-"

"Rise, _no-"_

"I think you should give it a chance, or _him_ a chance-"

"Rise, _leave it the fuck alone_," My voice comes out harsher then I meant. Rise stares at me with large eyes. I suck in a breath. The room is quiet.

"_There you have it! Jack Atlas, our reigning King, has just won the match against Dragan-"_

"I'm sorry," I cut off the sound of the TV. Rise wordlessly turns off the TV. I don't look at Rise. "I went too far. You don't deserve that. I know you're trying to help."

"No, I could knock it off too," Rise takes my hand in hers and gives it a tight squeeze. "You're the only one for me, Kal. I'm here for you. You know that..." She blinks unshed tears out of her eyes. I sigh. I almost made Rise cry.

"Yeah," I agree. "I'm an ass. I know that."

"You got something on your mind. I get it," Rise moves a piece of hair behind my ear. The motion feels so natural, but it's not coming from her, but who-

I get up abruptly but don't let go of Rise's hand. I don't want to scare her, so instead I tug her hand closer to the window, so we can stare out of her fancy penthouse window and gaze at the city below. Rise is watching me.

"You know," Rise's voice is soft. "Someone out there has gotta know you." Rise's eyes are gazing at me in that way that lets me know she's thinking about me. "Remember that first week you were staying at my house, and we got all those papers for you in the mail?"

I remember. Someone had made me credentials, all for Kallen Rikiya. It's how I was able to become a normal citizen, and how I was able to enter Duel Academia.

"I already know someone knows me," I bump my shoulder to hers. "It's you."

Rise's ears turn red. "Wanna help me watch the kids this weekend?" She changes the subject, I notice. She does that when she's embarrassed.

"You know, I _really_ doubt someone likes you needs the spending money from some babysitting gig."

"Shut up, it's for some friends of the family. I like them. They don't get out much, you know that! They aren't even paying me, I _volunteered._"

I did know that. They were sweet kids who wanted to look up to someone. I was nervous spending time around them, but I liked spending time with Rise, and these kids _were _sweet. Ruka was on the quieter side, while Rua was louder, but both had been homeschooled their entire lives and didn't really understand the real world.

"Sure," I agree. _"_Sounds like fun."

* * *

I'm walking home. It's still daylight outside, which makes me feel better walking home. I'd spent the past few days at Rise's, only now going home because I needed a change of clothes. As much as I loved Rise, her bubble gum fantasy wasn't my aesthetic, not including the fact I couldn't even _fit _into her clothes if I tried. She was about four inches shorter than me with a small chest, and I had legs Rise described as "could outmatch a giraffe's neck".

There's no one following me today. I think. I thought I would notice by now. I still look instinctively around. My phone vibrates in my pocket, causing me to jump. I don't look at the name before I unlock my phone and press it to my ear.

"Yeah?" I answer. "What's up?"

"_Kal,"_ The voice on the other end causes me to freeze. "_I apologize. It took me a few days to realize you called. What is it that you need? Is everything alright?"_

Ike Garam. We dated for months. He's a selfish piece of shit who only cared about himself, and it took me facing Public Maintenance before I realized he was only in it for himself. If it hadn't been for Elodie, I don't-

"It was a mistake, got that?" I walk faster to my house. I'm fucking irritated this prick decided to call after I called him _days _ago. "Lose my number."

"_You called for a reason, did you not?_" I hated it when he did that. He made it sound like _I'm_ the one who needed him, that I'm the one who needs him. I don't need him. I don't.

"I told you, it was an accident," I hiss back. I look behind me, my senses sharpening. I don't know if the phone call is making me paranoid, or if my instincts were right.

"_No one accidentally calls in the middle of the night. You lost control, didn't you?"_

He always hit the nail on the head. He knew me. I don't answer. I hear him chuckle on the other side.

_"I told you I could help-"_

_"_I don't need your goddamn help."

"_Are you sure?" _He pauses. He's waiting for me to say something, but I won't give him that satisfaction. "_If you didn't need my help, you wouldn't call, and you wouldn't lose control."_

I'm about to reply, to tell him to shove off on his opinions, but I stop. I turn around again. No, I'm sure of it. Someone is following me.

"Stay on the line," I tell Ike against my better judgment.

"_What is it?"_

"I think someone's following me," I tell Ike before I can stop myself. I mentally curse, but there's no going back. "I'm fine. Just stay on so it looks like I'm occupied."

"_I'm on my way. I assume you're heading home. I'll be there soon._"

"That's not what I _fucking asked_." It's too late. He hung up on me. I growl as I shove my phone back into my pocket. I don't need to turn back to know I'm still being followed. This jackass isn't even trying to hide it. I start taking odd roads to try and ditch him, but he's still there. What did they want? Why me?

I pass an alleyway. Someone grabs my hand and pulls me into the alleyway. I move to yell, to punch, but she turns me. The first thing I see is a wicked grin and red hair. Her eyes are alight with an entertained glint, her eyebrow slightly raised.

"You need to get away, don't you?" She puts her tongue in between her teeth in a gleeful smile, her free hand flowing in front of her mouth to signal to be quiet. She winks. "Let's ditch 'em," She whispers, her hand still on mine.

I don't have time to nod before she takes off. I have no choice but to follow.

There's a reason I don't let go. I can feel it all around us in the air. Her aura is a sea of teal, moving around us in a calming wave that washes over me. She can be trusted.

She's like me.

She's a Psychic.


	3. Over the Rainbow

_"Somewhere, over the rainbow_

_Way up high_

_There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby_

_Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue_

_And the dreams that you dare to dream_

_Really do come true."_

_(The Wizard of Oz)_

* * *

We're sprinting through the street. The girl leading me is holding my hand in a death grip, but I'm the one who allows her. She seems to know exactly which ways to turn. I know after a few minutes that we're alone, whoever was following me is gone. We stop to catch our breath. I lean against the wall, my hand moving to push my hair out of my face. When I look up, I take a glance at my apparent 'savior'.

We're about the same height, maybe she's an inch or two taller than me, with long red hair that's pulled back in a high ponytail. Her bangs are pulled back by a green headband. I'm not sure how I missed it, but she's dressed eccentrically in high waisted red, blue, green, and yellow plaid shorts, a green lacy tank top tucked into her pants, and two necklaces hanging down that I can't get a good look at. On her feet are knee-high yellow socks, and light brown laced boots. There's a yellow messenger bag slung across her shoulder, which I noticed says _'not today, patriarchy.'_

She looks like a goddamn cartoon character instead of a real, actual human being. It takes me a second to register what is going on.

"That was something, wasn't it?" Her grin is wide. I look up, meeting large blue-green eyes. She's not from around here. Her accent gives it away, but I can't place where it's from.

"Yeah," I nod. "Thanks."

Her eyes scan me up and down. It makes me feel uncomfortable, like she's searching for something. Her expression lightens, and she laughs, a noise that sounds so genuinely giddy that it makes me do a double-take in surprise. "I don't know who you pissed off, but hey, I'm glad I could help!" She offers me her hand. "People like us gotta stick together."

I don't think as I reach out and take her hand. I jump, a jolt connecting once our hands met. I go to say something, but the world disappears around us. I take my hand back in shock as I try to step away from her, but...wait, _what_?

We were just in an alleyway.

I look down at my feet. The ground is soft when I move back, and yeah, it's because it's sand. We're on a beach. _We're on a fucking beach._ I look around widely. It's obvious we're not in Neo Domino City anymore, judging by the fact the sky is a literal space. There's a forest in the distance, but that's not important. I turn, facing the mysterious girl, who has the same grin on her face. She's not affected by our change of surroundings.

"What the hell did you do?" I demanded as I took a step closer. It had to have been here. "Where the _fuck _are-"

"We're in the Spirit World," The girl cut me off. Slowly, she starts to set her messenger bag down on the sand. "One of them, anyway. Sorry about dragging you in here without saying something, but hey, you felt it too," She looked back to me with a tilt of her head.

"Felt what?" I snapped. "This isn't fucking funny. You're taking us _back-"_

"That _zap_!" The redhead takes a step closer to me and takes my hand. I snatch it away from her, but she doesn't seem offended. "Something about your aura- it's.- it's.." She cuts herself off, her hands wringing themselves in the air. I realize she's trying to find the right word to describe how she feels. "I've only ever seen it on _one_ other person! That's gotta mean something!"

"You're insane," I blurted out. "Take a step back. What do you mean we're in the Spirit World?"

Her eyes widen. "Oh. Right," She sheepishly moves a stray flyaway hair out of her face. "I don't know how much you know about psychics, but you know there are different powers, right? Like how some people can manipulate aura's, or some people can see duel monsters while some people can actually summon duel monsters, while some people-"

"Let me guess. You can travel to the spirit world."

"Yeah!" Her face lights up. "They call people like me spirit walkers. Oh!" She sticks her hand out towards me. "I'm Lucy. I forgot to introduce myself."

"Kallen," I don't take her hand, not after what happened, but the temptation is there. Lucy chuckles as she drops her hand back to her side. She clearly wasn't put off, but I wasn't amused. The thought occurs to me that I could use my own powers to escape if I really wanted to. "Now what are you on?"

"_We're_ in the world of the Neo Spacians," Lucy explains as she taps her chin. She must have noticed my bewildered expression because she continues. "It's a type of deck. There's a bunch of different worlds, and-"

"This is the one we're on?"

"Yep!" Lucy cheerfully looks around. "I've got a lot of history here." She mistakes the look on my face, for she adds, "Don't worry, we're safe! A lot of the worlds has spirits that would try to hurt us, but not here. It's protected."

"That's cool I guess...?" I'm not sure how I should answer. I'm half convinced I'm imagining all of this, but something is telling me I knew all of this existed. Is that why I'm not having a bigger reaction? It's weird, but for some reason, I don't feel surprised. I swipe a hand through my hair in frustration. "Why bring us here?"

"It's because of you," Lucy replies honestly. Her eyes earnestly search mine, but I look away. "I need to know more. So!" Lucy takes a duel disk out of her messenger bag and straps it to her wrist. She nods to my backpack I laid on the ground. "We're going to duel!"

"What?" I blinked. "What is that gonna do?"

"Dueling is the best way to understand a person's heart, _and_ who they are as a person," Lucy speaks the words as if she's reciting them like a quote. I can also tell she truly believes every word of the cliche she babbled out.

"No." My response is direct.

"Okay," Lucy takes off her duel disk, sets it on the ground, and moves to lay down in the sand. Her arms stretch out to move behind her head. A carefree smile is stretched out on her face.

"That's it?" I'm left even more confused. "You're not gonna argue?"

"Nah. Where's the fun in that?" Lucy looked up at the sky. "Let's talk instead."

Just who was she? "What do you want?" I'm starting to get angry. "You help me, then kidnap me, and now you want to _talk_?"

"Pretty much," Lucy agreed. "You can ask me a question first if that's gonna help break the ice."

Lucy sounded so genuine. My instincts were telling me I could trust her, but I wanted to run. I had that option, but a part of me wanted to know more about her. She was unpredictable, something I found interesting. I could feel my annoyance start to turn into both curiosity and exasperation.

"What's your history here?" I find myself asking. I'm playing along with her game. I'm telling myself I'm just doing this to learn more so I can leave this situation.

"Good question!" Lucy stretches her hand in the air, reaching for the sky. "You could say I was _found_ here."

"Found here?" I echo. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"It's pretty literal, actually. Where we are is where my parents found me." Lucy sits up, her knees tucked against her chest. She wraps her arms around her knees and looks up at the sky. "I think I was around five, but I'm not really sure. I've always been able to come into the Spirit World. And...I found this world. I remember..." Lucy trails off, a wistful smile covering her features. "I remember building a sandcastle with the spirits who live here. It's when my Dad found me. I ran from him, but then I was found by my Pappa. They adopted me and I've been with them since. In a way...this world was my beginning." Lucy turned to face me, her eyes shining.

"What about your real parents?" I found myself asking.

"I don't remember them," Lucy admitted with a shrug. "I think they...well, you know about Zero Reverse."

I did. It's how the Satellite was created. A large earthquake came through and destroyed the city, killing millions in the process. Familiars were destroyed. Kids were left orphans. The thought of it made my stomach drop. I think it's because of the implications of what the Zero Reverse caused, but I doubt it's just empathy towards those from the Satellite.

"I don't remember anything from before, if I'm being honest," Lucy's words make me sharply turn to look at her. "My adopted parents named me because they said I was singing a Beatles song to myself in Danish. Or trying to." Lucy giggled. "They said I didn't really know the words, or where I picked up the song."

"I.." I trail off. My mind is trying to wrap around what she said. "You...you don't remember anything?"

"No," Lucy tilted her head to the side. Her eyes were wide with what I assumed was curiosity. "Something wrong over there?"

I'm not sure how to answer. It's an odd thing for someone to be able to relate to me. It's not often you hear of someone else with memory loss. I tell myself it's different, she was five, but that feeling of happiness doesn't leave me. I bit my lip. Lucy's gazing at me in concern, and I swallow. "I..." I look away. "Look, do you tell everyone your life story when you just meet them?"

"It's a hobby!" Lucy grins widely.

"That's a shit hobby."

"What can I say? I'm a traveler. Us travelers like to talk," Lucy takes a handful of sand in her hands and slowly lets it fall back into the ground. "Been so ever since I graduated from Duel Academia. You meet people, maybe help them out, and tell your life story. I've got a hell of a lot of stories." Lucy looks up to meet my eyes. "So, what can't you remember?"

"Huh?" I jerk back. How the hell did she guess that? "What-"

"Oh, shit," Lucy lets out a loud laugh. "Sorry! That probably took you by surprise. I saw your face changed after I said I couldn't remember anything, and kinda took a guess."

"Damn, how many powers do you have?"

"That's not really a power. Just what I told you, really. You know, talk and see duel spirits, summon them-"

"And traveling to the spirit world."

"Yeah, that too," Lucy raised an eyebrow. "You know a lot about me. What about you? What can you do?"

What could I do?

Lose control. Fuck things up. Destroy everything I touch.

"I'm an amateur fortune teller," I say instead. "I can't see or talk to duel monsters, or even summon them, but..." I pull out my deck. "I can kind of predict what's going to happen. My cards...I guess they tell me things? I don't know."

"I know someone like that," Lucy speaks earnestly. "Is that all?"

I hesitate. I don't want to tell her about my other power. I'm not sure how she would react. It's not a power a lot of people have. It's one I don't like using, because of Ike. I despise how he made me use it.

"You don't have to tell me," Lucy sets her hand on my knee, maybe to comfort me. I don't swat it away. "I think I can take a guess."

"How did you deal with it?" I ask suddenly. I'm not sure what comes over me. Lucy blinks her large eyes. "Starting over, I mean," I continue in embarrassment. I can feel my cheeks grow hot. "Not knowing who you are and moving on."

"That's a lot of emotion," Lucy notes calmly.

"Yeah..." I can feel my throat start to dry up. I cough awkwardly. "Probably. Maybe." Lucy doesn't take her eyes off of me.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Lucy's voice sounds like a soft flutter. I close my eyes, letting out a sigh. "Okay," I can't see her, but Lucy squeezes my knee. "It was easy to change. I gained two Dads who loved me. I learned how to use my powers, and how to help others with them. It's because they found me that I was able to become a hero I've always dreamed about, just like them." The silence stretches out between us. Lucy's waiting for my response.

"Don't you want to know?" I take in a shaky breath. "Who you were?"

"I care about who I am now," Lucy sounded passionate. "Wanna tell me what's wrong, supergirl?"

I laugh at the stupid nickname, despite my feelings. I open my eyes with a shake of my head. "It's fucking stupid," I admit. "I can't remember anything. I crashed about a year and a half ago, and before then?" I swipe my hand through the air. "Nothing."

Lucy is watching me. She's not saying anything. It takes me a second to realize she's waiting, listening, checking to see if I'm done talking. "And don't you say you're sorry or feel something for me. I'm sick of that shit," I feel my fists tighten by my side. "I just...I don't fucking know."

"It's okay not to know, I think, since you don't know what you don't know," Lucy lays her free hand next to my hand, not touching, but there I think to tell me I'm not alone. I don't understand why the gesture is so _nice_. "Do you want your memories back?" Lucy questions.

I open my mouth to answer, but I close it again. "What do you know?" I say instead.

"I could help you find them," The way Lucy says the sentence, with so much joy, makes me flinch. "I know a lot of people who could-"

"No," I say the word too sharp, but Lucy doesn't drawback. She simply nods.

"Okay," Lucy's tone is still upbeat. I don't understand what's wrong with her. I imagine how Rise would have reacted if I snapped at her, with the wounded look in her eyes she always had, but Lucy took it in stride. Nothing seemed to bother her.

"Where are you from?" I change the subject. "Your accent is weird."

"Sweden!" Lucy takes her hand off of my knee to clap my hands together. "My adopted parents- My Pappa is from there, while my Dad is Japanese, but they own a school for Psychics up north. That's where I'm from."

"A school for Psychics?" I frown.

"It's not as uncommon as you might think," Lucy winks at me. "Both of my parents are Psychic. They like to say I was their inspiration to start. They...well, they're amazing," Lucy's hand moved to clap one of her necklaces in her fingers. I take a closer look, realizing one had a ring with multiple gems, while the other looked almost like it was a compass. "I want to be like them. That's why I'm traveling. I _want_ to help people."

"Why Japan?" I murmur.

"Because I think I'm originally from here. I mean, yeah, I'm half some kind of European, but I know I'm also half from Japan." Lucy plays with the ring on her necklace. "And...have you ever heard of the Arcadia Movement?"

I've heard of it. They tried to come up to Ike and me before, but we ran. Ike said they try to find Psychics to use for their own good. It was ironic, coming from him. "You mean that cult?"

"It's also a _school_ for Psychics, but sure, the cult," Lucy laughs. "Funny enough, it was actually started by a former student of my Dad's. Some weird shit is going on there, and I think it has something to do with the sudden spike in deaths for Psychics in Japan."

"Wild."

"I'm gonna find out more and stop them," Lucy's eyes flashed, but she smirked. "That's what a hero does."

"All by yourself?" I snort.

"Why not?" She challenged. "It only takes one person to start a revolution."

"You sound hopeful."

"You sound pessimistic."

"You're not wrong," I let my fists relax to feel the sand below me. "What do you plan on doing to take them down?

"Why?" Lucy wiggled her eyebrow in amusement. "You wanna help?"

"No. It's just a question."

"And it's _my_ secret operation," Lucy stuck her tongue between her teeth. "But, if you want...I can help you too."

"How?" My tone is bored.

"Name it," Lucy leans forward.

"I have nothing I want." That's a lie. It might be the biggest lie I've ever told.

"Fine!" Lucy leans back with a roll of her eyes. "Be like that!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "But listen here. We're friends now." Lucy might be pretending to be upset, but she still has that cheerful grin on her stupid face.

"So, do you kidnap all your friends?"

"Just my favorites," Lucy uncrosses her arms and glances at the sky once more. I join her. The silence is peaceful. I find my gaze looking at Lucy, trying to read her. I want her expression to change, to show who she truly is, but it doesn't. Her aura is different from Ike's. He was unsettling. It felt like syrup in the sense that it made you feel dizzy. It felt made me feel like my head was constantly in the clouds, like my feet were never truly on the ground when I was with him. Lucy's felt...I don't know how to describe it. The air feels light around us. I don't feel any more on edge than I usually am.

"Ruby!" I hear an exciting voice shout from beside me. I glance over to see a purple cat-like creature jumping onto Lucy's laugh, climb onto her shoulder, and nuzzle her neck. Lucy is giggling the entire time.

"What," I can't help but stare.

"Kallen, meet my friend Ruby Carbuncle! Ruby, meet my good friend Kallen." Lucy stretches her arm out. Ruby climbs onto it, snakes its way down Lucy's arm, and doesn't stop until its face is right in front of mine. I try not to pull back out of instinct, instead, I raise my hand. Ruby bumps its head into my palm. I can't stop the smile that stretches across my face. Lucy seems to be enjoying every second of what's happening.

"So these are your cards," My voice is light.

"A gift from my Pappa after I graduated," Lucy confirmed. "Which reminds me!" Lucy lifts her hand up, throwing Ruby into the air. It disappears in a burst of red light. "Here!" Lucy shoves her phone into my hand.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" I'm puzzled.

"What do you think? Put your number into it!" Lucy rolled her eyes playfully. "Jeez, have you never had friends before?"

"Not ones who force their numbers into my phone."

"Well, gotta start somewhere!" Lucy looks at me expectantly. I sigh. I text myself a simple '_hey'_. I can't help but shake my head. "So, what do your friends usually ask from you?" Lucy takes her phone back and shoves it into her messenger bag.

"I dunno. Fortunes?" That's all I'm useful for.

"So do mine," Lucy looks at my deck. "How's it work?"

"Uh..." I'm trying to think of the words to explain it. "Well, I could do a spread. For me, I kind of just pull a card, and it gives me the general prediction for the day."

"And?" She's waiting. I pause. Reaching for my deck, I pull out the top card. My breath hitches in my throat.

XIX. The Sun. I don't usually pull the major Arcana for a daily prediction. If I do, it usually represents someone in my life.

This was the same prediction I had at Rise's. The card is telling me this card represents Lucy.

This was the good thing that was meant to happen to me. Lucy is my good thing. For me to draw a card that represented her meant she would most likely become someone important in my life.

"Well?" Lucy tried to peak at the card I drew, but I already put it away.

"I change my mind," I speak quickly. Lucy stops, for the first time caught off guard. For some reason, that fills me with a type of joy I can't explain. "Let's duel." I stand up, my hand reaching for my backpack where my duel disk is. Lucy is still sitting in the sand. "Aren't you getting up? This was your idea," I strap my duel disk to my wrist dealer.

It takes Lucy a second. Her look of dumbfounding makes me chuckle. This seems to snap Lucy out of her stupor. "Yeah!" Her face changes in a second, instead she looked excited. "Get ready to get your game on!" Lucy straps her duel disk to her wrist.

"You said this will help us learn more about each other, yeah?" I take a few steps back. "Get ready. I won't go easy."

"You think I will?" Lucy was almost jumping up and down. "Trust me. You won't know what's coming!"

"_Duel!"_ We both shout into the air.

The change in the air is sudden. Any feelings of doubt I had about Lucy evaporated the moment I pulled that card. XVIV. The Sun. It's a card that represents joy, happiness, optimism. For her to represent that card meant she was genuine in her good intentions.

I didn't listen to my cards before, but I will now.

It's about time for 0. the Fool to start her new beginning.

And maybe Lucy was right in her twisted logic. I can't say I knew her heart by the end of the duel, but I knew she was someone who could be trusted.

I don't think she can help me. I don't think I could help _her._

* * *

"So, this is your place?" Lucy had followed me back home. She gazes at the small apartment with an appreciative gaze. "You know, you could start a garden on your balcony."

"I kill plants I own," I set my bag down on the counter. Seven missed calls from Ike. Apparently, the Spirit World didn't have great reception. Oh well. Delete. "Do you have a place around here?"

"Nope!" Lucy sets her bag down on the counter beside mine with a loud _thump_. "I don't know anything about Japan."

"Wait...are you saying you came here, knowing you wouldn't have a place to stay?"

"Pretty much!"

"How the fuck did you know where to go when we were running?"

"I didn't!" Lucy cackled. "I guessed on which way to go. We lost them, so we won in my book."

"You're insane," I rub my eyes with my fingers. "You're fucking insane," I repeat. I open my mouth to say something else, but there's pounding on the door. Both Lucy and I turn sharply, and I suck in a breath.

_"Kallen!" _I knew who it was before he spoke. "_I know you're in there. Come out, or-"_

"Who is that?" Lucy's voice is low. For the first time, she's trying to be quiet.

"Ex," I almost growl out the word. "He's a piece of shit."

"Want me to take care of him?"

"Wait, no-" It's too late. Lucy's already skipping to the door. She pulls it open, letting the door hit the doorstop on the wall.

Ike Garam is on the other side. He looks non-threatening with his dark maroon hair and brown eyes covered behind square-framed glasses, but there's more underneath the handsome, charismatic boy.

There's a lot of anger. A lot of resentment. We're the same, in that way. We're both not good people.

At least, that's what he made me think. All of that resentment? He encouraged it. All that bitterness? The _want_ to hurt? He _made_ me...me.

But I don't want to be that version of me.

Ike blinks when he sees Lucy. "Who are you?" His voice is quiet, unassuming. He does this when he meets new people. It's how he keeps up his facade. "Where's Kallen? I need to talk to her. I think she's-"

"I know you," There's a shift in Lucy. She straightens her posture. For the first time, I see her eyes narrow, her lips forming a smirk. "Ike Garam," Her laugh is breathless, almost disbelieving.

Ike seems caught off guard. "Do I know you?" He sounds confused. I move to the side, revealing myself in the open. Ike's eyes widen. He steps forward, his hand reaching out, but Lucy steps in front of him.

"Get out of the way, please." Ike still sounds gentle. "She's my girlfriend. I'm worried about her. I'm supposed to help her learn how to control her powers-"

"Cancel it. I'm her new tutor," Lucy sounds so confident. Ike pauses. "And if I know you, you're not helping her. She told me you were her ex. You're using her."

Ike, ever the pretender, shoots his head up, his eyes widening with hurt. "I care about her, I would never-"

"_Drop it_," Lucy's tone is harsh. I'm surprised. I can't help but do anything but watch. "What do you want? You know already you can't get your Father out."

Wait, what?

I don't get what she's saying, but Ike does. It's like a switch goes off, his mark coming off. A scowl shows through.

"What the fuck would you know?" He takes a step forward, but Lucy doesn't move. "What do you know about my Father?" I could feel the pressure spike in the air, but I wasn't sure who it was coming from. I closed my eyes, feeling out, and I realized it was coming from Ike. I've felt his anger before.

I don't think I ever felt his fear.

"He's a murderer," Lucy continued. "And you want to free him."

"Ike," I can't help but call out.

"_Shut up_," Ike said out loud. I wasn't sure who he was saying this to. Maybe both of us. "We could have done it. With your powers, Kal-"

"Don't," Lucy held up her hand in defense. All this time and her aura remained unchanged. She truly wasn't afraid. My knees are shaking.

"He didn't deserve to be trapped there!" Ike snaps. "What the hell do you know, you _stupid_-"

"I _know_ because my Dad is the one who made sure he stayed trapped there when everyone else came back to Earth," Lucy raised her chin in the air. "We know each other, Ike Garam. We're the second generation."

"...What?" Ike takes a step back.

"I'm Lucy. Lucy _Andersen._" She put emphasis on her last name. Lucy seemed amused by the whole ordeal. "If it helps, you can add a hyphen, and then Yuki to the end, but let's face it." Lucy twirled her ponytail. Lucy took a step forward, breaking the gap between them. "You already know who I am." Lucy took a step back until she was inside the apartment. "And don't come back!" Lucy slammed the door closed. There's a beat of silence while Lucy rubs her hands together, a pleased grin across her face. "That was fun!" Lucy turned back around to face me. I've been frozen this entire time, watching the scene fold in front of me in shock. I can't stop shaking.

Lucy stood up to Ike like it was _nothing_. She wasn't scared. She had to have felt his energy, his _power_. But she did it without backing down. Just to help me, someone she doesn't know.

I have to grip the edge of the counter to keep myself from falling over. I feel like I'm going to throw up. If Lucy hadn't been here...would I be with Ike? Would I have taken him back?

"Why the hell did you do that?" I barely mutter the words out.

"Hey, Kal," Lucy takes my hands in hers and gently leads me over to my couch. I sink down into the cushions, my hands trembling. Lucy rubs them in between hers as she sits next to me. "It's okay. You're okay."

"We deserve each other," I can't stop the words coming from my mouth. "He-_he-"_

"No one deserves to be used," Lucy assures me. "And Ike...I know _him_. Or...I guess I know his family." Lucy pauses. "They're not good people. His Dad...His Dad is something else. My Dad said he manipulated people to try and rule over the Spirit World. He...he..." Lucy took a shaky breath. "He sacrificed someone who really loved him. And...gods, no one deserves that kinda ending."

"You thought that would be me," I realize. Lucy doesn't say anything. "Did you really mean what you said?" I interrupt. Lucy perks her head up, her gaze confused. "You know. Teaching me."

"Well, yeah," Lucy says it like it's obvious. "Why would I say something I didn't mean? If you're having trouble with your powers, I kinda got experience with teaching that sorta thing." Lucy sticks her tongue between her teeth and laughs. "I've worked at a school for Psychics. Okay, not technically, but you get what I mean. It's my thing. You need help, I got you. We're friends."

"Yeah. Friends..." I want to thank her, but I'm not sure how. I don't deserve her. I don't deserve a lot of things. "You need a place to stay, yeah?" I nod towards one of the rooms. "I got a small office. It's not much, but it's something. You help me, I help you."

"Deal!" Lucy stretches her hand out. "Don't worry, I won't zap us somewhere this time. Probably," Lucy winks. I laugh. This time, I don't hesitate to take her hand in mine. "From now on, I'm your teacher, and I'm your student."

"Kinky."

"Not...not like _that_!" Lucy lets go of my hand as she collapses into giggles. "Weirdo."

I roll my eyes, my hand reaching for my remote. I turn on the TV. A duel is happening.

_"And the King, Jack Atlas-"_

The TV turns back off just as quickly as it came on. Lucy looks at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Don't worry about it," I speak quickly. "It's just some jackass I can't get away from. I see his face everywhere, and it's starting to piss me off."

"Riiiight," She stretches out the word. She looks like she's thinking about something. "Wanna do something tomorrow?" She asks suddenly. "Something fun."

"Sure," I stand up. It's dark outside. It hits me how exhausted I am. "I'm heading to bed. Goodbye until tomorrow." I'm walking away when I hear Lucy on the couch, collapsed in giggles. I face her. Lucy has a hand covering her mouth.

"Sorry!" Lucy is still giggling. "I've never heard anyone say that before!"

I find myself laughing too. "Yeah, I don't know where that came from," But it felt natural to say.

"Goodnight, friend," Lucy waves at me.

I smile. When I close my bedroom door, a text goes off from my phone. I pull it out.

An unknown number reads back a simple _'hey'._ I save the number under my contacts as Lucy Andersen.


	4. Come to a Party

_"__Now isn't that rare? That kind of connection."_

_(Dogfight)_

* * *

When I wake up in the morning, there's a blue post-it note stuck beside my pillow. I reach over to grab it, my body moving sluggishly to sit up. I can't help but smile. The small piece of paper was cut in the shape of a heart.

_Be home late!_

_LAY_

Lucy signed her name with a heart beside it. Instead of leaving a text, she'd always leave a note somewhere where she knew I could see it. It had been nearly a week since Lucy unofficially moved in. I knew without a doubt that she had been a positive light in my life, one that was well needed.

"Kal! I let myself in!" Rise's voice flutters in from the living room. I set the note down on my side table and sigh as I stand up. I'm just in a t-shirt I normally wear for bed.

"Yeah?" I tug on my hair tie until my dark hair tumbles down. It's been growing lately, reaching just past my shoulders. Rise turns. This day she's not wearing a wig. Instead, her natural blonde hair is pulled back into two pigtails, the ends colored pink and purple from one of the days we were bored and Rise decides she wanted to _experiment_. She's dressed casually in an oversized shirt tucked into her high waisted shorts, but she still lights up in the entire room.

It's weird. Rise and Lucy are both large spots of light in this otherwise murky world but in completely different ways. Rise was a spotlight that demanded attention and lived to entertain others. Lucy was eccentric and didn't care what others thought of her. Rise would always care.

I shouldn't compare the two.

"You're awake!" Rise beams at me.

"Barely."

"You better be awake. Remember where we're going?" Rise sits on the couch, her eyebrow raised. I give her a side glance as I start to make coffee. "You said you'd help me babysit!" Rise gives an exaggerated sigh.

"I didn't forget. You didn't give me a chance to answer," I remark as I pour myself a cup of coffee and another for Rise. I come closer to the couch and hand Rise the cup, which she accepts happily.

"You've been MIA this week," Rise notes.

"Have I?" I hadn't even noticed. I've tried to text Rise every day, but maybe I _was_ distracted.

"Did something happen?" Rise leans closer to me with a frown. Her free hand rests on my knee. I shuffle uncomfortably on the couch.

"Not really," I mutter. Rise looks like she doesn't believe me. I drink my coffee to avoid speaking. Rise opens her mouth like she's about to say something, but just as quickly closes it.

"Hey, I'm coming in!" A new voice sounds at the door. For a minute I think it might be Lucy, and I turn, but the minute I see the light magenta hair I let out a sigh I hadn't even realized I was holding. It's just Elodie.

"Wow, didn't expect you guys to be hanging out together," Elodie jokes. I chuckle nervously. "I've got good news," Elodie holds up two tickets. "Godwin's throwing some fancy party for the King, and I managed to score you two VIP passes. There are _some_ perks from being a lowly intern, but this lowly intern doesn't want to go to high-class parties."

"Elodie! You're the best!" Rise quickly stands up to snatch the tickets from Elodie's hands. She spills some of the coffee on the ground in her excitement.

"Hey, watch it, I want my security deposit back," I tease.

"Sorry!" Rise sets the cup down on the table. "But this is so cool! Kallen, maybe the King will ask you out this time!"

"I'm not encouraging this."

"Just go. They're for you two, so you should have fun." Elodie looks at me with a grin. "And _maybe_ you'll actually make friends."

"I'm in a relationship."

"If you're talking about your D-Wheel, I'm going to hit you."

"No one's gonna treat me better than her," I glance to the blue stack of post-it notes and begin writing a note for Lucy to stick on the fridge, telling her I won't be home until late.

"Who's that for?" Rise frowns. I realize this might seem weird, as I don't think I told them about Lucy. It never came up.

"Now that you mention it..." Elodie's eyes scan to the office, where the door is wide open. There's a bed in there now and clothes are thrown on the floor. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear that many colors before, Kal."

"I've got someone staying' with me for a while," I answer with a shrug. Both Rise and Elodie widen their eyes, while Rise's mouth drops open in shock before she covers it with her hand. "What?" I shuffle defensively. "She's fine. She's-"

"_She!?"_ Rise has a tone I can't begin to describe. I notice her body tense.

"Yeah. Her name's Lucy," I stand up from the couch and set my now empty coffee mug in the sink. "What's the problem?"

"Sorry," Elodie is the one who chooses to answer. "I guess...we just wouldn't expect this from you." I don't answer. Elodie hesitates. "It's just not you to do something like this. To-"

"To what? Trust someone?" I turn back around and face them. Elodie looks guilty, while Rise won't look at me. "You guys would like her. She's pretty...out there," I settle on the term. Neither answer.

"I'd like that," Elodie finally replies. She smiles genuinely at me. "Right, Rise?" But Rise doesn't answer. She takes a breath, smiles, and grabs my hand.

"Let's show Rua the tickets," Rise says instead. "I think he'll be jealous to know we're seeing his idol at a party tonight!"

It's a sudden conversation change, I notice. I don't know what her problem is, but I shrug it off.

"Sure," I nod at her. "I bet he'll be pissed."

* * *

"_WHAT!?"_ Rua Sakamoto wails, his hands flying towards the two tickets in my hands. I stretch them higher in the air out of his reach. "Gimme! Gimme those tickets, I wanna see the King!"

"Too slow," I smirk. "Gotta be faster than the master of faster if you wanna meet the King." I threw in that corny title they gave Jack Atlas just to provoke Rua further. It works, as he starts flailing to try and reach the tickets.

"Come on! He's my favorite duelist! Lemme have them! Lemme have them!"

"Rua, you're embarrassing me," Ruka muttered from her spot on the couch. I shot her an amused look, but she was looking out the window, a faint pink coloring her pale cheeks.

Rua and Ruka were twins, now fourteen. Yet, they couldn't have been any more different. Rua was a ball of energy, while Ruka was more reserved. She had been a sickly child, and due to the fact that their parents were some famous duelists in the pro-leagues, they were left at home to be homeschooled by a series of tutors. As far as I knew, they hadn't seen their parents in over a year. They had few friends, but since Rise's parents had friends with their parents, Rise vaguely knew of them. She had reconnected with the twins a few years ago. I knew she felt bad about the fact that they rarely had visitors, which is why I was invited along. It was more people they could interact with, Rise had said, but I always told her that I wasn't the best influence on these kids. She always ignored me.

I liked the kids. If things went well, they would start Duel Academia here in Neo Domino City next year. Rua was excited while Ruka was more nervous.

There was another reason I came around. Ruka had an aura to her, a light blue that marked her as a psychic. Rua's aura was _very_ faint, but still present. I don't think he's actually a psychic, but it's more some twin bullshit that I don't pretend to understand. I'd have to ask Lucy about it. But when Ruka's powers fully developed, she'd need _someone_. Unfortunately, I was the best option for her, for now.

"Rua, you're too young to go!" Rise's tone was scolding.

"He can go," I smirk mischievously. "If he can beat me in a duel."

"You're on!" Rua runs for his duel disk.

"Rua, you've never beaten Kallen in a duel," Ruka sounds annoyed with her brother.

"Rua, you're not going. Kallen, stop teasing him!" Rise gave me a pointed look.

"Pleeeeease?" Rua stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. "I wanna see the King! He's the champion! I heard no one can beat him in a duel! That makes him the best."

"I bet I could beat him in a duel," I pipe up.

"That's not true!" Rua stomped his foot. "You'd _never _beat the King. He's unbeatable!"

"Ouch. There goes that D-Wheel I was planning on making for your sorry ass."

"Kal, we don't call kids assholes-" Rise sighed with a laugh.

"W-wait, I didn't mean it!" Rua cried out. He held his hands in the air. "Please, Kallen, you promised you'd make me a D-Wheel! Please? Pleaaaase!?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just messin' with you," I swiped my hand through his hair playfully. "You only like me when I'm plannin' on makin' stuff for you. I see how it is. It's why Ruka is my best friend."

"_Whaaaat!?"_

"Stupid," Ruka rolled her eyes. "Can you do my fortune?"

"Can you do mine!?"

"Sure," I move to sit in front of Ruka. "Rua, it says you need to respect your elders, or else you won't win any duels."

"You didn't even look at your cards!"

"I'm a mind reader. My cards told me so."

"Kallen!" He stretched out my name in a whine. I laughed. Rise seemed to be in a better mood. She was watching us with a smile stretched across her pretty features.

I pull out a card. XVIII. The Moon. This card represented Ruka. "You're having anxiety," I hear what my card is telling me. "Your cards are talking to you again, aren't they?" I look to Ruka. She was tense. I didn't need her to nod to know I was right. "You should talk to someone about it," I put my card back in my deck. "You know, so you can start understanding your powers."

"Who would I talk to?" Ruka stares at me with large gray-gold eyes.

"I've got a friend who can talk to spirits. I can tell her about it and see what she can do. She's a good teacher. Name's Lucy," I rattled off the information. I look out of the corner of my eye to see Rise was biting her lip at the mention of Lucy. I didn't get what her issue was but I brushed it off. If she met Lucy, things would be fine.

"Yeah," Ruka nodded. "I'd really like that," She smiles at me, and I smile back. I can't help myself. I love these kids.

"Well!" Rise interrupted in a pitchy tone. "We should get ready for the party. We can talk about this some other time."

"Yeah, sure," I shrug. Rua starts begging for us to take him, but we wave him off with a laugh. We don't take him seriously.

But there's a bugging thought in the back of my mind. I want to know what's bothering Rise. She's pressed about something, and I think it has something to do with Lucy. I can't figure out what or why.

* * *

"What a surprise. They ask you to perform," I give an entertained side-eye to Rise.

"I can't help being the prettiest and most talented in the room," Rise flips her hair back. She was wearing a pink wig with purple ends. Her dress was short, glittery, and shifted colors as she moved, as she was wearing holographic sequins.

I, on the other hand, went for a short, red, body con latex dress. On my feet are closed-toe black stilettos. My lips form a smirk. "How people must hate you," I roll my eyes.

"It would be a shame for people not to hear my voice," Rise flutters her eyelashes. I snort. "Which reminds me!' Rise jumps. "I forgot to tell you! Guess who you're looking at?"

"Do you really want me to answer that."

"No. I'll tell you!" Rise is beaming. "You're currently talking to the announcer for the Fortune Cup!"

"The...Fortune Cup?"

"Yep! It's some tournament coming up in the summer. They asked me to perform, and be the MC! Isn't that stellar?"

"They couldn't find someone more qualified?"

"Hey! I've been the MC for some of your duels in the Daimon Area!"

"I don't know how to break it to you, but you're gonna have to do some research before they let you up there."

"What do you mean!?"

"For starters, you actually have to know the _names_ of the cards instead of making up your own."

"I can learn!" Rise puffed up her cheeks in mock anger. "I'll show you! I'll prove I can do it!"

"Don't worry, princess, I know you can," I take her hand in mine and squeeze. Rise instantly lights up. She swings our hands, but before she can say something, one of the event managers comes by and whispers something in her ear. Rise pouts.

"I gotta go," Rise winked at me. "Watch me. I'm gonna steal their hearts."

"Oh, don't worry. You've already stolen mine," I joke back. Rise laughs as she kisses my cheek.

"Wait for me afterward!" Rise waves at me as she walks away to take the stage. I watch as she leaves. Rise has this way of commanding the attention of anyone she sees. She's dazzling on the stage.

"_There_ you are," A voice comes from behind me. I turn sharply, a curse leaving my lips.

"_Fuck_, do you gotta sneak up like that?" I glare at whoever was behind me. My breath leaves my throat. I had been doing a damn good job at ignoring the star of the party, but apparently, my luck had run out.

Jack Atlas stared down at me, an unreadable expression on his handsome face. He was dressed nicely in a white suit, but his eyes were glancing down at my chest. My hand moved to cover my pentacles' necklace.

"What the hell do you want?" My voice is low. Jack seemed surprised by my words. At first, he glares at me, as if he never heard someone as lowly as myself speak to him like that before, but then he chuckles, this time throwing _me_ off guard.

"So it is you," Jack's words cause me to take a step back. "Did you ever-"

"Let me get this straight," I cut him off, my eyes narrowing. "I don't know who you are." Jack's eyes widen for a brief second before they sharpen once more. "So do me a favor, fuck off, and stop staring at me. Thanks." I spin, my hair flying behind me, as I begin to quickly walk away as much as I could in my heels. I hear him call a name after me, but I don't recognize it as mine. I text Rise, saying sorry, but I had to go. I made it as far as the garage when I felt a hand grab onto my arm. I don't have to turn around to know who it was, which is shit, because I could _see_ my D-Wheel in view. Escape was so close.

"Let me go, jackass," I growl.

"Not until you tell me what happened to you," Jack's grip on my arm tightens, probably to keep me from yanking it out.

"Let's not pretend you know some scum like me, _King_," I spit out the nickname as I finally turn to face him. He reacts as if I slapped him. He pulls his arm away. "How could someone like you- some rich kid from the Tops- know someone like me?" I throw my hands in the air. "You wanna know something? There's no way we could've met, and even if we did, I'm not gonna fucking remember you."

"What does that mean?" His voice is quiet. He's watching me with those purple eyes, but they're guarded.

"It _means_ I can't remember anything." I open my mouth, but a weak laugh comes out instead of words. I'm trembling slightly. "Whoever you thought you knew isn't here, if you even knew me."

Jack starts to say a name. "It's _Kallen_," I snap out, the pressure in the air rising. I take a deep breath. Getting worked up wouldn't help anything.

There's a distance between us. It feels like we're facing off against one another. The silence stretches on. "What happened?" The defeated tone to his voice tells me he finally believes me.

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "I woke up after I crashed my D-Wheel. I don't have any memories before that." I hesitate. "Do you know?"

"No," Jack replies instantly. "None of us knew. You were supposed to tell _us_." Jack looked away, probably so I wouldn't see his expression. "You're saying don't remember me?"

"You aren't an exception here. How would I even know you?"

"We were friends. In the Satellite." Jack's words made me suck in a sharp breath.

"So," I look up to meet his eyes. I understand the implication. "You came here too. How?"

"That doesn't matter. I want to know how you came here."

"Oh, me too."

We stare at each other again. I let out a cough. "If that's all, I've got somewhere anywhere else to be. By the way, it's not a nice look for the guest of honor to leave his own party." I turn my back to him, my heels clicking on the ground as I step closer to my D-Wheel to escape.

"_Tomorrow Girl._" The nickname makes me stop in my tracks.

"...what?" I answer back.

"You remember that," Jack notes.

"You aren't the first person to call me that recently." My back is still turned to him. "Why do you think I'm the girl you used to know? Tomorrow Girl?"

"You look just like her," Jack's voice is low. "You have the same necklace. Our rings match. We found them in the garbage back in the Satellite. And you left me this." I hear him pull something out.

My curiosity gets the best of me. I look to see what he has. I take a step back in shock. In his fingers, he holds a card, but it's not any card.

"The Wheel of Fortune," I murmur, my heart dropping to my stomach. "That's mine. That's the card I'm missing."

"You left it with me. You said to give this back when I found you," Jack throws the card towards me. I catch it, even with my shaking hands. I stare at it in disbelief. The card whispers to me, telling me this card represents Jack to me. I know he's telling the truth. I know whoever left this card for Jack _used_ to be me.

"What do you want?" I take my eyes off of the card to look at Jack once more. "What do you want me to say? I'm not the same girl you knew. What's the point of this?"

"I want a duel," Jack says easily. "I gave you your card. You owe me a duel."

"...Fine," I step towards my D-Wheel and press a button, detaching my duel disk from the console, and strapping it to my wrist dealer. I see Jack do the same with his D-Wheel that was parked nearby. I can't help but admire the exterior. I envy the money he must have spent to customize some fancy shit like that.

"You improved your D-Wheel," Jack noted in amusement. "I thought it would have broken down by now."

"Why do you think I crashed?" I activate my duel disk. "I don't know what you hope to get out of this, but I doubt you'll find it."

"I want you to remember." Jack's is determined.

I shake my head as I draw my first few cards. All I can do is ignore what he's saying. He's delusional, I decide. Or in denial. "I'm going first. I draw!" I start my turn. "I start by summoning Knight of Swords in Attack mode!"

_(Knight of Swords is a Level 3 Fire Attribute Monster with 1500 ATK and 2000 DEF.)_

"I knew it," Jack murmurs. "It's the same." He recognizes my cards. But that doesn't mean shit.

"I lay two facedown cards and end my turn," I lay the cards down, my eyes watching Jack. He shows no emotion.

**KALLEN: 4000**

**JACK: 4000**

"Very well. I draw." Jack looks at the card, a neutral expression on his face. I can't get a read on him. "I start by laying a facedown. From my hand, I activate Foolish Burial, and send a card from my hand to the graveyard." I grit my teeth. He had a plan in mind. "When my opponent has a monster on the field, I can summon Big Piece Golem to the field." Jack's monster made its debut.

I've figured out what he's doing. I'm instantly figuring out what I can do to counter, but neither of my facedown cards would help. Four of Pentacles only works when it's a direct attack, and Nine of Cups would only work if I had a monster in my graveyard.

"Now I activate my trap card- Revival Gift! It allows me to bring back one tuner monster from my graveyard. Come forth, Dark Tinker!" The tuner joins the field. Thanks to Revival Gift, I'm given two 'Gift Fiend Tokens' on my side of the field in attack mode. I'm no dumbass. I know a Level 5 and a Level 3 makes a Level 8.

And Jack only had one Level 8 monster worth bringing out.

"The pulse of the King now forms a line here! Witness the power of the rumbling heavens! Synchro summon, my very soul, Red Daemon's Dragon!" Jack's ace monster enters the field in a burst of red light. I hold up my hand to cover my eyes. He's a large beast, taking up a lot of room in the otherwise empty parking lot. I smirk.

"That was quick," I remark. I need to step up my game. A plan forms in my mind.

"I'm hoping to get through to you," Jack admits.

"That's not how this works," I hiss out. "That's not how _any_ of this works."

"We'll see. Red Daemon's Dragon, attack Knight of Swords!" Red Daemon's Dragon unleashes his attack, his claws stretched out as he slashes through Knight of Swords. I raise my arms to cover my face, even though I know there's no pain. It's just a familiar motion at this point.

**KALLEN: 4000 - 2500**

I lower my arms, my hand waving to draw a new card. "Get ready, jackass. It's my draw!" I pull a new card. I smirk. This would work.

**KALLEN: 2500**

**JACK: 4000**

"From my hand, I use the spell Nine of Pentacles!" I lay the card down. "With it, I can summon King of Cups, but he's not staying long. Thanks to your gift, I'm able to summon _this!"_ I lay the card onto my duel disk. "The Arcana join to create their ultimate beast! Unleash your power and wake the world! Come forth, _Arcanite Dragon!" _My own ace dragon joins the field, a stunning violet dragon. It lets out a screeching roar and flaps back its wings, sending a harsh blast of wind through the air. My hair blows back, making me wince.

_(Arcanite Dragon is a Level 8 Dark Attribute Synchro Monster with 2800 ATK and 2500 DEF)_

A smirk crosses Jack's features. "You summoned it," Jack sounds _happy_ for some reason.

"What did you want to get out of this?" I feel the wind picking up around us. "I don't know you. This- this isn't doing anything, or helping either of us."

"It confirmed that it's you. That you're-"

"I'm _not her._" I hiss out before he could say it again. "Whoever you thought you fucking knew is gone. It's just me. It's just Kallen." I close my eyes and take a shaky breath. "And I can't talk to you until you get that through your stupid head." I open my gold eyes once more. "Thanks to Arcanite Dragon's special ability, when I discard one card from my hand, I can target any monster on the field and change their attack points to zero for this turn only. Take a guess to which one I'm aiming for." I point towards Red Daemon's Dragon. Jack doesn't react much, but his violet eyes narrow.

_Red Daemon's Dragon: 3000 ATK - 0 ATK_

"Atlas from Greek mythology held up the weight of the sky before," I mused. "But you can't even take out one girl, _King_._" _I glance at Jack, but his eyes are wide. "What?"

"You said that before," Jack's posture is stiff. "Back when we first met."

"Stop it," I demand, my face turning red. I can't tell if I'm angry or embarrassed. Probably both. "I'm _not her_. I'm not that girl you want me to be because I don't fucking remember her."

"Let me help you-" He begins saying the name again.

"Go!" I stretch out my hand. "Arcanite Dragon, attack! Take out Red Daemon's Dragon!" Arcanite Dragon rears back his head. I let out a laugh.

I realize too late my powers are out of control. I know I realize it too late because the second Arcanite Dragon's attack lands on Red Daemon's Dragon, Jack is thrown back into the air. He lands on his back, the wind being sucked out of him. I let out a yelp, my hands flying to my mouth.

"Shit," I whisper in panic. "Shit, shit, _shit._" My body moves on impulse, my feet sprinting in my heels toward him. "You okay? I didn't mean to..." I stop. "Jack.." I glance down at him. "Your arm...is glowing..." I blink, not understanding what the hell was happening. His arm was glowing through the jacket. Jack sat up in a sitting position, wincing in pain as he did so, and took off his jacket so he could easily roll up the sleeve of his shirt. His arm was glowing. There was a mark in the shape of what looked to be wings, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that said mark was _fucking glowing _some supernatural red bullshit.

"What..." Jack looked up and down from the mark back to me. I reach out to touch it. The moment my hand connected, we both let out a painful yell.

That was the final straw. I don't want any part of this. I hear him calling that name again, but I can't hear him as I put my helmet over my hair and take off. The duel doesn't matter.

I don't stop until I'm back at my house. I park my D-Wheel in the garage, throw the helmet onto the ground, and throw open the door. I'm not breathing. I don't know how to.

"Kallen?" I hear Lucy's voice echo in, but it feels like she's a thousand miles away. I sink to the ground, hyperventilating. I feel arms around me, and she's pulling me close to her. She's rubbing circles in my back, the other hand stroking my hair.

"Breathe for me. In and out, okay? Count with me." She counts to three, telling me to breathe in, and back out. I'm trying.

"L-Lucy," I can't stop crying.

"I'm here," She promises. "I'm not going anywhere."

It takes me several minutes, but I calm down. Lucy doesn't let go of me. "Was that party that bad?" Lucy tries to make a joke.

"I found someone who knows me," I blurt out. Lucy's hand freezes on my hair. "What do you know about a glowing mark?"

"A glowing mark?" Lucy's eyes widen in confusion. I pull out of her arms, but we're both still sitting on the kitchen floor together. "I mean, I can look into it if you want. But you'll owe me."

"Name it," I shoot out. "Whatever you want, I'll do it. I-I-" I'm still shaking. "Gods, I fucking hurt him. It was me who made that mark on him. Dammit, who the hell am I? What-" A glass breaks from the counter. I'm trying to count as Lucy asked, but there's no use. "I'm a monster. What if I-"

"Stop," Lucy takes my hands in hers and looks me directly in the eye. I freeze. "Stop it," Lucy's tone is quiet, but stern. "You are _not _a monster. We'll figure this out, but you can't blame yourself for this. You lost control, and that's okay, but that doesn't make you a monster."

"Then what does that make me?" I whisper back.

"Human," Lucy's thumb moves in a circle on my hand. It's soothing. "We all break down. It's okay. You can learn how to control it. I'll teach you." Lucy pauses. "Do you want to know who you were?"

"I'm Kallen."

"Okay. Then you're Kallen," The way Lucy says it makes it sound so obvious.

"_He_ doesn't think I'm Kallen."

"If he truly wanted to be your friend, he'd accept you for what you want to be, not who he thinks you were," Lucy smiles comfortingly at me. "But that's up to you. I can't tell you what to do about it. I'll look into the glowing marks. Everything will be okay."

"Yeah..." I feel stupid for having a breakdown in a red stupid latex dress on my kitchen floor.

"You still look pretty hot."

"Shut up," I laugh weakly. Lucy stands up, offering me her hand. I take it, but just as she begins to pull me up, a knock sounds at the door. I let go, letting my body hit the floor, where I now lay.

"If I don't answer it, do you think they'll go away?" I mutter in defeat.

"Who is it?" Lucy tilts her head to the side curiously.

"I have only one guess, and I don't like it."

Lucy considers my words. She nods her head to my room. "I got this," Lucy sounds confident. I fear what she'll do, but I'm more terrified of actually answering the door, so I haul my ass off the ground and bolt for my room. Lucy waits before she opens the door.

"Yeah?" Lucy's tone is light. "Can I help you? It's pretty late, you know."

"I'm looking for someone," That's his voice. I was right. He did find a way to follow me to my goddamn house. That bastard doesn't give up.

"Oh?" Lucy sounds innocent. I know without looking that her eyes are wide, her lips pursed. "Who? It's just me who lives here, but maybe I can point you in the right direction."

"Her name's Kallen."

"Kallen?" Lucy is pretending to think. I peek around the corner of my door frame, and I see she's tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell. I wish I could help!" Jack begins to say something else.

Lucy closes the door on the King of Games while he's mid-sentence. His voice fades as the closed-door separates us. I feel okay. As I hear his footsteps walk away, I let myself sink to the ground. I'm tired. I'm so goddamn tired.

* * *

**A/N:**

i did decide to bump up Ruka and Rua's age, just out of preference. it makes for sense for the story im writing to have them older. and i just prefer writing teens to kids.

if you're wondering, they're fourteen instead of eleven, and will be fifteen during the WRPG. woo


	5. Say My Name

_"I'll make you say my name!"_

_(Beetlejuice)_

* * *

I'm trying to be quiet as I close the door behind me, the lock clicking into place. I curse internally as my heels click noisily against the wooden floor. I hastily take them off, my eyes searching to the window. My phone died hours ago, not that I needed it. The sun is rising in the distance. I have to cover my mouth with my hand to avoid laughing. Shit, I really was out _all_ night.

"Finally home?" That light-hearted exclamation makes me jump, a not so friendly word escaping my lips. I turn, a scowl on my face, to see Lucy cackling to herself. She's dressed in her clothes, her hair pulled back, telling me she was heading out.

"So who was it?" Lucy sits on the couch, her eyes fluttering innocently with that sickly sweet smile attached.

"Where are you going?" I redirect the question.

"I heard they're making a monument to the Director out near the South District." Lucy lifts up her bag, takes out a can of spray paint, and shakes it. I laugh. "So who was it?" Lucy asks again.

"I'm going to bed. I'm tired."

"Was it that guy you were checking out in the coffee shop?" Lucy stands up with a large grin. "How was the date? You stayed out all night, which you don't usually do. Did he ask you, or did you ask him?"

My hand stops on the doorknob. I couldn't help myself. I can't contain the large smile on my face, and I know I have to see Lucy's expression when I say it.

"_She _asked me out."

As expected, Lucy's mouth drops, and she begins to snort. I laughed with her. She apologizes for assuming, but I'm smiling too much to get out that it's okay. She says she should have noticed the female barista was looking at me. Her arm is around me. I'm wondering when I became comfortable touching her, or in general, when I became comfortable with _her_. With having a friend.

I really like it.

"Alright, alright, I'm going to bed." I swoop out of her reach and finally open my door.

"Don't forget, we have a lesson tomorrow."

"Tell the teacher to set it back an hour."

"Tell the student that the walk of shame isn't an excuse to miss out." She has a cheeky smile on her face. I throw my heel towards her, but she ducks. With a wave and an air kiss, she begins to leave the apartment, and I close my bedroom door.

I lean against it for a second, letting the second heel drop to the floor. That stupid happy smile is still plastered to my face.

I don't know when I began to feel _happy. _Like maybe, just for a second, I became less empty. There's still that empty void that my amnesia took, but...I think I'm almost starting to get...better? Better. Yeah.

_"Breathe_," Lucy instructed, her voice commanding but soothing at the same time. "In and out. One, two, three. One, two, three." She counted slowly for me.

I follow her instructions. My eyes are closed as I breathed in and out on the numbers. Slowly, I begin to stretch out my hand. I concentrate on the object in Lucy's hand, a ceramic mug, and pull.

We're currently outside my apartment in the middle of the sidewalk. Lucy thought open air would be the best way to practice. She was right. The fresh air makes it easier to think. Practicing inside feels too enclosed, like I can stretch out my powers in a way.

My fist closes around the handle of the mug. I smirk.

"Good job!" I don't have to open my eyes to know Lucy has a grin on your face. "Keep breathing, but set the mug down. Focus on your surroundings."

"Heard," I set the mug down while I wait for what Lucy's going to do next. Something hits my forehead, causing me to jerk back. I open my eyes, blinking, and look down to see a pen in my lap. Lucy giggles loudly.

"That was to test to see if you could sense it coming, but looks like we'll have to work on that!" Lucy doubles over, holding her stomach.

"Ow," I rub my forehead with a scowl. We both knew it wasn't a _real_ test.

"But you're getting better with the moving objects part. Nothing broke today," Lucy looked proud. I look away, but I'm happy. I'm starting to gain control. That's a good thing.

"And your mission? How's that goin'." I lean back, my arms moving behind me lazily. Lucy sits criss-cross in front of me.

"I have some people on my radar," Lucy admits with a laugh.

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow, my hand moving to yank on a loose thread on my tights. "I gotta say, I don't get it. Besides being a cult, what makes that shit-hole so evil that you gotta scope it out?"

"I think just the amount of deaths freak me out the most," Lucy admitted as she played with her headband that was currently holding her red hair back. "Psychic's don't just die outta nowhere." Lucy's eyebrows furrow together. "Well, okay, they theoretically _could_, but there hasn't been a witch-hunt in a few hundred years. Not that we're witches, but, _agh, _you get what I mean." Lucy pauses. "We help people down at Osiris." Osiris is what their school was called. I learned that a few days ago. "We don't..." Lucy looked frustrated. Her face scrunched whenever she wasn't sure what word to use. "_Ugh!_ It's like- _it's like-!"_

"Use your words," I murmur in amusement. Lucy muttered something I couldn't understand. I assumed it was either Danish or Swedish, but lately, she'd been using Spanish. I couldn't tell the difference yet.

"It's like- it's like _you_ and Ike!" Lucy finally reverts back to Japanese. My smile drops. I sit straighter, but Lucy keeps going, despite how uncomfortable I suddenly am. "They use people like us- I mean, psychics- to get ahead in whatever game they're trying to play, even though the rest of the world isn't playing. That's what my Dad said about the head of the Arcadia Movement." Lucy scowled. "Did you know when he left Osiris, he sent his monsters after the staff and stole one of the school's helicopters? He was only like, what, eighteen?"

"Oh, that's wild."

"Their information is locked up," Lucy's hand tangles itself into the grass. It takes me a second to realize she's still talking about the Arcadia Movement. "I can't even figure out where their headquarters is. It's pissing me off."

"So what's your next move?" I rip up some of the grass. Lucy swats my hand, causing me to smirk in response.

"I have some ideas," Lucy looks up at the blue sky. "There's a rumor going around that a psychic duelist comes by and duels in the Daimon Area. You know where people go and duel here, yeah?"

"Well, yeah," I'm mildly confused as to what she's implying. A lightbulb goes off over my head. "You don't mean that stupid Black Rose Witch shit, do you?"

"Bingo."

"Dude, she's a hack. Don't waste your time."

"But she's the best lead I got," Lucy has that look on her face, the one I hate because she won't give in until she gets what she wants. And she wants this.

"What makes you think she's part of the cult?" I move a piece of hair behind my ear.

"It matches, I think," Lucy raises her arm like she's connecting imaginary dots together. "She's injured people in the past with her duels. Nobody knows where she comes from. And a psychic with that kind of concentrated power? She's gotta have some kind of training."

"I guess," I don't argue her point. "Are you going alone?"

"That's the plan."

"Let me come with," I say without thinking. Lucy blinks.

"Why?" Lucy tilts her head to the side.

"For starters, you'll need someone to show you how to get there." I'm not sure why I'm offering to help her. "This girl is insane, right? Two psychics are better than one."

"No offense, supergirl, but...if I'm right, and I think I am, then this 'witch' can make her cards real," Lucy bites her lip. "And..."

"And I can't," I finish simply. Lucy nods.

"It's a lot to go against," Lucy sounds regretful. "Your powers are getting there, and telekinesis is helpful, but it can't stop a dragon spitting fire in your face."

She's right, and I hate that. With my powers, I can't summon monsters like other psychics could. But...

"Actually," I start to say. "I could..." I trail off, shaking my head. "No, fuck it."

"What?" Lucy leans closer, a gleam in her eyes. "What is it?"

"I have this..." I stop, my whole body tensing. My hands start shaking. I can't talk about it. It was stupid to bring it up.

I have a power that could help. I haven't used it since I was with Ike, and the last time I used it? It wasn't for anything selfless, I can easily say that. The thought of using it gives me anxiety.

"You have what?" Lucy's eyes are wide. I know her mind is running a mile a minute to try and figure out what I'm trying to say.

"Forget it," I stand up hastily. "I have a better idea. There's some tracker I made a while ago we can try to use."

"When did you learn how to make _that?"_

"I dunno, I just make things. When do you wanna go? I can walk you there."

"Hm," Lucy checks the pocket watch dangling on a chain around her neck. "She usually shows up around three-ish. It's about two forty-fiveish, so-"

"So now?"

"Now works," Lucy agrees with a pleased grin.

* * *

"We're running late," Lucy whines. "And I'm hot. It's too hot to wear a _jacket_!" She stretches out the sentence as we speed walk towards the dueling area.

"I can't help that you stand out too much," I toss the hood of my jacket over my head. Lucy has to wear every goddamn color that ever existed on her body every day of her existence, and that wouldn't bode well in a sketchy area like the dueling square in Daimon. She'd stand out too much. I had to explain to Lucy why it was a _bad_ idea to use her psychic powers without covering her face, and she stared at me blankly. It took me a second to remember that Lucy probably wasn't used to being treated like an outcast, or a _monster_, for her powers. I told her that was why the Black Rose Witch had a mask. Lucy seemed to understand.

But pulling her fucking hair back into a beanie was the bane of my existence. She had to have _red hair, _the color that just happened to stand out the _most_.

Lucy's walking beside me. Then, she's not. I stop to look behind me, but Lucy is looking straight ahead, her features both serious and focused. I don't know what she's doing, but when I open my mouth to say something, she raises her hand to signal for me to be quiet. I raise an eyebrow in response.

"Do you feel that?" Lucy's trying to be quiet.

"Feel what?" I look around to try and see what she's talking about.

"Reach out," Lucy's eyes narrow. "Focus on your surroundings."

I do what she says. I close my eyes, my mind reaching out to try and feel what's around me. I notice it. There's a few aura's in the distance, but that's not the problem. Right in the center is a light magenta aura pulsing with energy. I can feel the pressure rise around me, the feeling almost suffocating, but I can't help but laugh in relief at the fact that it's not me causing it this time.

"She's a powerful bitch, ain't she," I murmur when I open my eyes. That aura is _frightening_.

I wonder, for a second, if this is how people feel when they sense _me_.

. Lucy activates her duel disk, her hand going to pull out several of her cards. I know she's preparing to go on the defense. We're both walking closer to where the aura is coming from. I don't realize I'm holding my breath until my lungs begin to ache, a warning that I need to calm the fuck down. It's just one person we're goin' against. We're fine.

That's when the ground starts shaking. The windows on a nearby building begin to crack. I barely have time to raise my arms to cover my head when I feel the glass raining from above. Lucy sprints ahead, unafraid, while I hesitate. I can hear the shouts of the crowd. If I walk twenty feet forward, I would be with Lucy.

But fuck, I can't do anything.

_"WITCH!"_

_"It's the goddamn Black Rose Bitch."_

_"She's a fucking witch, ain't she? She's here to kill us all!"_

_"Get back!"_

The last voice. It's high pitched, clear, and commanding. That has to be Lucy. Her voice is what makes me run forward, despite every part of me protesting. I'm standing against a wall, as if I could blend into the scenery, but I can't.

Lucy is facing the Black Rose Witch, her duel disk held out in front of her. The hood on her jacket is covering her face, and the beanie underneath is covering her red hair. Yet, when she turns and sees me, I see those distinguishable blue-green eyes. They light up when our eyes meet, and she winks.

The Black Rose Witch on the other hand...it's almost sinister. She's wearing a long dark cape with a hood, a white mask covering her entire face, and a long burgundy dress that matched the long strands of hair that could be seen. She's shorter than both Lucy and I. For fuck's sake, she looked like she was just a kid playing dress-up.

I look at her, and...I see myself. Some stupid kid with shitty powers they didn't ask for.

I'm pissed. I don't know why, but suddenly I'm furious.

That monster standing behind her? That wasn't some kid shit. Behind the Black Rose Witch was a large dragon, black in color, and what looked to be rose petals attached to its slender body.

That was the reason a quarter of the block was smoking. I need to get my head out of my ass.

"You don't have to do this," Lucy was trying to reason with the kid. Her voice was soft. "I- _we-_ we can help you!"

"...help me?" The girl let out a chuckle that made the hair on my arms stand out. "Who said I wanted help?" Her movements were slow. She raised her arm in the air, pointing directly at Lucy. "_Black Rose Dragon-"_

_"Come out! _Garnet Panda, Amber Mammoth, and Spinel Ox!" Lucy quickly lays the cards down on her duel disk, one after the other, effectively summoning her monsters to form a barrier around her. The crowd is murmuring behind Lucy.

_"Who the hell is she?"_

_"Another goddamn witch?"_

_"Two witches? What are they gonna do, kill each other? Are they trying to destroy this city?"_

I see Lucy tense. I know she is uncomfortable. She's not used to negativity, and she's trying to _help_ these ungrateful bastards. The attack continues through, leaving only Garnet Panda on the field. Lucy grimaces, the wind grew stronger as Lucy held her hands in front of her face, the wind pushing her back.

"I see..." The Black Rose Witch stares directly at Lucy. Her aura pulses. "You're one too."

Lucy lowers her hand. "It doesn't _have _to be like you. Listen to me, I can help-"

"_Help?_ I have help. You're of no use to me!" She lays down another card on her duel disk. I assume it's an equip spell, as it wraps around Black Rose Dragon, encasing it with new power. She made her dragon stronger. "Black Rose Dragon, end this!"

Lucy lets out a shriek as she gets pushed back. She lands several feet on her back. She gasps for breath. Garnet Panda is destroyed. I rush to Lucy, my hand reaching for hers, and Lucy grasps it to help pull herself into a sitting position.

"Don't really think that did shit," I squeeze Lucy's hand.

"I have to try," Lucy hisses out in pain. Her eyes frantically look to mine. "I was wrong. I _don't_ think she's in control."

What was that supposed to me? I go to ask, but Lucy quickly stands up, her hand flying to lay down a spell card. A barrier forms around us, just in time, as vines erupt from the ground. I hear someone scream nearby. Lucy looks distraught. I understand. She wants to protect the civilians, but she can't do that and follow the Black Rose.

I hate what I'm about to do before I even do it. She's not in control, Lucy said. That sounds familiar. I take a deep breath to prepare myself.

"I need your hand," I demand from Lucy. The redhead looks to me with wide eyes. "I didn't stutter," My voice comes out harsher than I intended. My hand is outstretched. Lucy grabs it without hesitation. "Promise me if I hurt you, you'll tell me, or if something happens."

"Do it," Lucy cuts me off with a nod. I'm stunned. "Whatever you're doing, _do it_. I'm consenting." Lucy doesn't take her eyes off of me. I hesitate. This was the first time someone ever gave me their _consent_.

Why? Why does she trust me? Why did she specifically use the word _consent_, like she knew that was the exact word I needed to hear? She had no idea what I was about to do- the fact that I was using the power I hate the most- the power that _constantly_ reminds me what a shitty monster I am in actuality, not this _fake_-

I need to stop. I take a deep breath. I can't think about it. I need to focus on what's in front of me, and that's helping the one person who even _slightly_ understands me.

I grip Lucy's hand in mine.

And I absorb.

I don't know how I figured out how I had this power. It's like I woke up one day and realized, hey, I can take the power of other's psychics.

It's damaging. It hurts them. Once I take it, unless I give it back, it's mine. It scares me constantly to think about the things I _did_ when I was with Ike...

And I'm scared to think about what aura's I have that aren't mine.

But I'll give this back. I only take what I need from Lucy. She winces, but she doesn't let go, or tell me to stop, to back off. I let go, my hand flexing. Lucy's power feels different from the others I've had in me. The only way I can describe it is a soft ocean wave, constantly moving, but peaceful. Good. It's calming. It's very different from mine.

Lucy flutters her eye as she comes to her senses. I expect her to be pissed, upset, or any negative emotion.

Instead, she smiles at me. "Cool," She nods, throwing me entirely off guard. "You handle the Black Rose, I'll handle getting the people out. Sounds good?"

It takes me a second to understand what she just said. "Y-yeah," I nod.

"Did you get what you need?" Lucy has that knowing look in her bright eyes.

I stare at my hand. I can feel it. "I think so," I confirm. "Be safe."

"Oh, always," Lucy smirks. We both turn from each other at the same time, but I'm the one who faces the Black Rose Witch.

"Queen of Pentacles, arise!" I lay the card down on my activated duel disk, the monster materializing.

Oh, yeah. I got what I needed. The Black Rose Witch seems taken aback, but she stands her ground.

"Look at you," My voice is dry. "Are you havin' fun?"

Just looking at her...who the hell did she think she was?

"What would you know?" She snarls at me. I can't help the laugh that comes out.

"Hurting people is fun, isn't it?" I step closer. "'Cause it's fun when they can't fight back. It's _fun_ when they call you a monster, and you can show them what it _really_ looks like to be a monster."

"Stay away," she warns. Black Rose Dragon lets out a growl. I feel the wind picking up, blowing my jacket back. "Don't pretend like you _know_ me. Like you know what I went through."

"I don't?" I know _exactly_ what she's going through. "Because I've _never_ hurt someone, I've _never_ used what I have to hurt someone, and gods forbid, I've _never_ been called a monster." The bitterness in my voice is real. "_Fuck_ you. You don't know _me_, but I know people _exactly_ like you."

"Miss Aki!" There's a kid in the corner of my eye. Short, wide eyes, a large smile on his face with shoulder-length dark brown hair. This girl doesn't even acknowledge him. She's looking right at me, maybe trying to see what my next move will be. Which is funny. I don't even know what my next move will be. Black Rose Dragon rears its head back. I lay an equip spell on my duel disk, Two of Swords, which strengthens my Queen of Pentacles. The two monsters go head to head.

"Miss Izayoi! It's me, Toby! I came to watch you duel!"

This kid _wants_ to die. I glance out of the corner of my eye to see this kid frantically waving his arms in the air to get the attention of the Black Rose Witch. I turn my head back to her.

I smirk. He's not important. _She _is. Taking her down, taking out the Black Rose Witch, is what's important. We don't need another psychic trying to take out civilians again, like...like me. Like me and Ike.

She needs to go. Someone needs to stop her.

"KALLEN!" A voice wakes me up. I blink, taking in my surroundings. I stand in front of a small girl, her small body slightly trembling as her monster goes against mine.

She's not me. She's not _me._ She's a scared kid with powers she doesn't understand.

I lost control in a new way today, I think. I spin, watching as debris was making its way down towards the crowd. "Arcanite Dragon!" I lay my ace card down on my duel disk. Queen of Pentacles shoulders the debris, while Arcanite Dragon takes on Black Rose Dragon. I see Lucy with a kid in her hands, that same moron who tried to get the girl's attention.

"What is this?" I hear the Black Rose Witch raise her voice. I whirl around, my breath leaving.

"You too?" I can't help the words that leave. She glances sharply up at me, her arm glowing red. The same as Jack's. She has the same glowing mark as Jack, but a claw. I step closer, my hand grabbing her wrist.

"You too," She repeats. For a second, her free hand sat itself on top of mine, like she could draw comfort from it. She glances down at the mark on her arm, her fist tightening as she shakes her head. "This mark...! Why..." She looks back up at me, her hand ripping off mine, and she points her finger accusatory towards me. The words never leave her.

"Black Rose Dragon!" She screeches. I'm knocked off my feet. I land maybe twenty feet back, the air knocked out of my lungs. I move to sit up. Our eyes meet. I can see her arm tremble- just slightly- before she quickly lowers it, her whole body spinning as she runs.

I don't run after her. I'm too busy trying to decide if she's like me, just a scared kid, or something worse than me. She hurt people. She almost hurt a _boy_.

But it's not like I'm much better.

"Kallen!" Lucy rushes beside me and takes my hand. I don't waste any time returning her powers to her. I shudder, my eyes watering, and my stomach heaving. "Kal?" That one word held so much worry.

"I don't want to do that again," My voice is small.

"It's okay," Lucy throws her arms around me. I don't return the hug. Her arms rub circles into my back. "You did amazing. You didn't hurt anyone. I promise. You did your best."

I don't believe her. I don't believe any of the words that left her mouth. I can't.

* * *

"I get it now," Lucy is sitting upside down on the couch, her legs in the air. "You're right. That glowing mark is pretty weird."

"Right?" I'm sitting beside her, only, I'm sitting how you're supposed to sit on a seat. I'm checking my phone for the tracker I placed on her when I grabbed her hand. We've found the Arcadia Movement. I make sure to bookmark its location.

"So you can absorb," Lucy sounds entertained.

"I always called it 'copy'," I admit with a shrug. "Before you ask, I don't know how, why, or when."

"That's fine," Lucy plays with her hair.

"You don't seem surprised by this."

"I'm not," Lucy admits. "I kind of figured when you wouldn't talk about it, but also, your aura is pretty unique."

I want to ask the question. "About that...my aura...can you see...I don't know-"

"It's this dark gold," Lucy answers. "And no, it's just yours. You can usually tell if there are other bits of aura's in someone's, but yours is yours. My Dad has the same color."

"You said you only saw my aura on one other person."

"Yep," Lucy pops the 'p'. "It's why I wanted to talk to you in the first place."

I let the atmosphere turn into something peaceful. I want to ask if he has the same powers, but I can't make the words form.

Someone knocks on the door. I don't have to wonder who it is, because they let themselves in.

"Hey," I wave at Elodie. Lucy noisily turns upright on the couch to peer at who's here. She doesn't recognize them, which makes her entire face light up.

"Hi!" She chirps in greeting.

Elodie, on the other hand, stops in her tracks, the greeting lost. She's staring with wide eyes at Lucy. I don't blame her. Lucy, even at the first meeting, is a _lot_ to take in. Today she's wearing a peach skirt with a blue checkered top, and a green headband. Elodie, in contrast, is wearing a simple maroon dress with tights underneath. Her hair is pulled back out of her face into a bun.

"Kal-" Elodie barely makes out the word before I cut her off.

"This is Lucy Andersen," I introduce the redhead. She waves cheerily. "She's been stayin' with me. Luce, this is Elodie. She's been my friend since our time in Duel Academia."

"Oh, neat." Lucy stands up and offers her hand to Elodie. Elodie slowly takes it. "Hope you don't mind that I've been shackin' up with your buddy here. She's kinda a shitty host, but hey, the best offer I had," Lucy winks.

"You can leave any time," I laugh. "I wouldn't have to deal with you leaving your shoes all over the _goddamn _house."

"You'd miss me."

"Yeah, I sure would miss you and your disaster attempts at cooking."

"Hey!" Lucy puts her hands behind her head sheepishly. Elodie is looking between both of her eyes, before a small smile breaks out, and she chuckles.

"I see," She nods. "Thank you for looking after my friend." Elodie bows to Lucy.

"Don't do that," Lucy motions for Elodie to stand back up. "Kallen's helped me more than I've helped her. Trust me." Lucy grins. "Her friendship means a lot to me. I could step up more."

My cheeks turn red. I haven't done _that _much. She's being ridiculous.

"Still," Elodie straightens. "Kal, you didn't mention how damn pretty she'd be!" Elodie winks, causing Lucy to cackle, and a scowl to appear on my face. I roll my eyes.

"Sorry if I didn't care about beauty that much," I snark.

"Oh, that is _not _true!" Lucy falls back on the couch. She patted the spot beside her, signaling for Elodie to sit beside her, which the magenta hair girl obliged. "If that were true, you wouldn't have brought home that guy from that party you and your friend went to, _or_ that barista-"

"No way, the one from the Blue-Eyes Cafe?!"

"See! You are not as slick as you think you are!" Lucy points a finger toward me.

"Are we done picking on Kallen yet?" I huff as I sit on Lucy's other free side.

"You have to have more stories," Elodie takes Lucy's hands in hers.

"Which do you wanna hear first?" Lucy shoots me an innocent look before she turns back to Elodie. "I've got the one where she came home and fell into the door after a party because she was so damn drunk, or I've got the one where she tricked a boy into thinking she was a princess of some made up country."

"I HAVE to hear the-"

"Elodie, what's up?" I interrupt. Both girls move their eyes towards me. "I love you, but why are you here?"

"I needed a break," Elodie sighs. "It's Godwin."

"She works as an intern for Godwin," I explain to Lucy.

"Oh," Her ears turn red. "Whoops."

"It's just one thing after another," Elodie throws her hands up in the air. "First someone wrecks that new statue Yeager organized to be set up in the South-"

"Oh darn."

"-not that I care, but _Yeager_ cares. He cares a lot. Then something happens down in the dueling center in Daimon, something about a duel gone haywire-"

"Lots of things getting wrecked today," Lucy commented again with a sly smile.

"How tragic," I add.

"But here's the thing!" Elodie leans in closer. "Godwin almost seems..._happy_ about it." Her voice comes out as a hushed whisper. She's telling us some secret bullshit she doesn't want to be repeated. "He kept saying something about a _mark_."

A mark? Lucy and I share a look.

Interesting indeed. Seems someone knows more than we do.

"I couldn't get any more information. I'm not high enough clearance, you know," Elodie drummed her fingers on her leg anxiously. "Still, weird, right?"

"Totally!" Lucy nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, so, it was last week when I dared Kallen to go into this bar and-"

I let Lucy tell the story. I wasn't listening.

Godwin knows _something_ about the glowing marks.

* * *

There's commotion out front. I shouldn't be surprised. Whenever there's an upcoming tournament, our garage gets more business. Just some copy-cat duelist wannabes who want their shot in the pro-leagues. It's annoying.

The Fortune Cup is the tournament no one can shut up about, including Rise, but she's the only one I can stand to ramble on and on about it. After all, she's going to be the announcer for it. From what she's told me, the duelists involved haven't been announced yet, and _won't_ be announced until the day of the tournament. It's some invite-only bullshit. The winner gets to take on Jackass Asshole for a chance to become the next King of Games. The only reason I'm going is because of Rise. She's my best girl.

The tournament isn't for a few more months, but people are already actin' like _they are_ the ones who took down the King.

"Mateo," I stand up from my spot where I was working on a new engine, and glare at my coworker. "They ain't gonna invite some third-rate like you, so _fucking_ _shut up_."

"Mi amor, be honest with yourself," He shoots me that ridiculous arrogant smirk. I have to stop myself from flinging the mallet in my hands. "Out of all of us, I'm the one most likely to be invited."

"More like he's got the best chance of his Daddy paying the Director," Devyn hisses beside me. I have to hold back a snort. Mateo looks to the two of us, his eyes narrowing, but I turn my back to him, effectively ignoring him.

"Kallen," A gruff voice echoes near the entrance. I drop the mallet, straighten my body, and make my way over.

"What's up, Boss?" I lazily blink up at the man who signs my paychecks. Tan skin, dark hair now streaked with gray from age, but he still has a muscular build. Ashikaga, my Boss, has a stern look on his face, his mouth set in a hard line.

"Someone requested you," He doesn't look pleased. "They say their D-Wheel needs a tune-up." He crosses his arms over his chest.

This isn't a new thing. Sometimes customers have favorites. What's curious is the look on Boss's face. He's never _displeased_ by one of our regulars playing favorites. I peek around the corner to see who was asking for me, but almost immediately come back in.

Jack Atlas is standing outside next to his D-Wheel. I can't even be surprised at this point or even irritated. I almost admire how stubborn he's being.

"You tell me if he gives you any trouble," Boss's voice is harsh.

"You know that's the King, right, Boss?" I raise an eyebrow up at the older man.

"_Kallen_."

"Yes, _Dad_, I'll tell you," I tease him. He rolled his eyes at the affectionate term, but he stopped fighting it long ago. He's been the closest thing to a Father figure I've ever had. "I'm going on break," I announce as I saunter out.

Jack's eyes find mine the moment I step out. He's watching me. I keep my distance.

"Why are you here?" I cut straight to the point. "It's fucking weird for you to find me at work."

"I only trust the Wheel of Fortune to certain mechanics," He acts like that explains everything.

"What do you want?"

"You."

"Fuck that," I cross my arms over my chest. "You want _her_."

"You are _her_."

"I'm _me_. If that's all, I'm going back to work," I turn my back to him and begin to walk away. His hand grabs my wrist.

"Kallen, wait," His voice is...something else. I haven't heard the King plead yet.

"...what?" I don't look at him.

"Let me..." He stops. "Let's get coffee."

"Just the two of us?"

"What the fuck do you think."

"Alright," I jerk my head, telling him to take his D-Wheel inside the garage. He obliges.

Then, the King and I start to walk down the sidewalk. Together. I want to laugh at how ridiculous this scenario is.

"What made you change your mind?" I break the silence.

"Is it so surprising that I want you in my life?" Jack stares straight ahead.

"Yes," I answer bluntly. "Whoever you knew is gone. There's no point trying to be friends with _me._"

"You're wrong," His words make me freeze. I stop in my tracks. He notices and finally turns to meet my eyes. "Whoever you are, it's still you." His eyes are intense. I swallow. "I want you with me. That's never changed."

"That's...a lot of emotion for someone you don't know," I say slowly. "I don't know you."

"You can ask me anything. It's always been like that."

"Then let's make a game out of it," I propose. "I ask you something, you ask me something. Deal?"

"I already know you."

"Maybe I changed," I continue walking. Jack falls in line beside me. "What's your favorite color?"

"What a simple question. It's purple." Jack takes the time to think of a question. "Why did you choose the Daimon Area?"

"To live in?" I frown. "I dunno. I guess 'cause it's cheap and near everythin'. I like it. Why did you pick to name your D-Wheel the Wheel of Fortune?"

"You really don't know?" Jack shoots me a look as we finally make it to the Cafe. Jack orders for us. He gets the most expensive coffee, I notice, while he gets me a caramel latte. There's sugar added, I notice.

"I didn't tell you I liked sweet things," I raise an eyebrow. Jack sets the cup down in front of me, not saying a word. I realize he didn't need to.

I learned from our game that Jack always dreamed of moving to the city. I'm the one who gave him the Wheel of Fortune card, and I gave it to him when we were looking out at the city from a beach in the Satellite. I tell him my favorite color is red, and I graduated from Duel Academia in the upper middle of my class. I notice he's only asking questions that with answers that could have easily changed, or about my life in Neo Domino City, while I'm trying to learn everything I can.

I'm smiling. This is _fun._ Being with him...why is it so easy? It feels like I've been reunited with a long lost friend, which, I guess I have been.

"Are you happy here?" Jack asks next.

"I'm happy right now," I reply vaguely. I took a sip of my drink so he couldn't see my expression.

"Was it worth it?"

"It's cheating to ask two questions," I avoid answering. It doesn't take a genius to understand what he means.

"Was it?" His eyes bore into mine. I have to look away, but I can't help myself. I have to look at him. It almost feels like a craving, a _want_ to be close.

"When I find out, I'll tell you," My voice is soft. He seems satisfied with that answer.

"Kallen," He hesitates. "Thank you," He settles on the sentence.

I'm happy. He's not pressing me anymore about the other girl. I feel like Kallen.

* * *

It's dawn again. I have to work soon. I need to shower, get dressed, brush my hair-

"Who was it this time?" Lucy calls out, causing me to swear.

"Fuck, Luce, make some goddamn noise," I curse. I rub my eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," Lucy tilts her head to the side. It's absurd. I don't even know how to tell her.

"You can't avoid people for long, I guess," I shrug as I walk to my room. "Especially if they're the King of Games."

"Wait- _WHAT!?_" Lucy comes up behind me and attaches herself to me. "You had _SEX with Jack Atlas!?"_

"No- no, no, _NO!"_ I hastily throw my arms in the air and frantically correct her. "We were talking- it _was just talking! _We did _NOT_ have sex! He came to my work, we had coffee, we had take-out at his place, _AND WE JUST TALKED!"_

"Kal, you can tell me if you guys-"

"Listen, I was on his couch, we were talking, it became night, and I fell asleep. Nothing happened!" My face is bright red. I can feel it.

"You've _got_ to tell me more-"

"Goodnight, Lucy, have fun vandalizing government property!" I slam my bedroom door in her face. I lean against the door, my heartbeat racing.

The soft look on Jack's face...he cares about _her_, but she's me. He cares about _me_. He cares about Kallen. When he kept asking questions...why? Why me?

But...I also learned I care about him. I-I can't deny it. I don't even know him, but _she_ did, and the feelings coming out...

I'm so confused.

But I want that again. I want us to sit next to each other, just _talking_ all night.

It was nice. It was very nice.


	6. When the Booth Goes Bright

_"Every photo, of every face, is a time and place that you leave behind_

_There's the girl you were, there's your trip abroad_

_There is everything that you were, and still wanna be_

_What do you see?"_

_(Amélie)_

* * *

Who knocks on someone's door at seven in the morning? What monster thinks this is an appropriate time of the day to wake the shit out of someone?

I groggily sit up. I wait five minutes to pray that maybe, just maybe, they would leave. But this bastard is persistent on knocking on this goddamn door, leaving me to stew in my hatred towards this person I've probably never met.

Lucy must not be here, or else she would have answered by now. She _loved_ talking to strangers, including telemarketers or assholes high off their ass trying to bum money, but while I can still hear knocking, I can't hear Lucy. I'm just wearing a t-shirt I don't recognize as mine, but assume it is Lucy's due to the multi-colored patterned print, and the words '_NOT YOUR BITCH, BITCH_' written across it. I put a hand to my chest, just to reassure myself that yes, I am wearing a bra. I am decent enough to drift outside my front door and not embarrass myself (not that I would be embarrassed, I look _fantastic,_ thanks). I'm wearing black shorts that aren't really appropriate, but my ass is covered, and this person decides to knock on my door in the early morning. They're about to get me at my fucking best at this shitty time. I open my bedroom door to march myself across to the front door and yank it open with more force than was necessary. I'm pissed.

A short man stood on the other side, with purple hair, and a creepy ass grin. He's staring up at me with intense eyes as if he were memorizing everything about me he could see at face level. I scowl. My body leans against my door frame.

"Can I _help you_?" My voice is clearly filled with irritation. He lets out a chuckle that grates my every nerve, but I can't explain why. This only adds to my ever-growing aggravation towards this stranger. He's on my shit list, I decide.

"You can," He confirms with a creepy smile. "I am Yeager. I work for the Public Maintenance Bureau." I nod, letting him know he has permission to keep talking. I want this over and done with so I can go back to sleep. I straighten my posture, but my arms are still crossed over my chest. "You have been formally invited to participate in the upcoming Fortune Cup, where you will be a featured duelist with the opportunity to duel the King himself, Jack Atlas." Yeager reaches into his coat pocket, where he pulls out an envelope. I reach out to take it, my eyes narrowed. "You'll find that all of the necessary information is listed."

"Why?" I hold the letter in my hands. My arm drops to my side, the other on my hip. I'm trying to scan Yeager for any information, but his face is neutral, giving nothing away. Fuck him then.

"The Director himself randomly chose the candidates. If you have any questions..._well_, don't." With one last smile, he sauntered off, leaving me confused and pissed as to what the hell just happened.

"Is he gone?" Lucy pokes her head out of her door, concealing her body.

"Yeah," I threw the letter on the table. "I got invited to the Fortune Cup."

"That's...convenient," Lucy settles on the word. I raise an eyebrow, silently asking what she meant by the term. Lucy shrugs. "Seriously, you get invited right after you start hanging out with Jack, who, by the way, is the main duelist listed for this?" Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Seems pretty fishy to me."

"Maybe you're right," I lay a hand on the letter. "I don't know. Something seems off. Do you think..." I let the words trail off. Lucy seems to understand what I'm getting at.

"That it's got to do with the marks? Maybe." Lucy shakes her head. "Seems like a weird comparison, but not impossible. I'll look into it today. How about that?"

"Sounds great," I finally move my eyes to look at Lucy. My nose crinkles. "What the hell are you doing?" She still only had her head out the door.

"Oh!" She gave a sheepish grin. "About that. I...kinda just got out of the shower." She let out a laugh. "I don't have any clothes on."

Well, that explains why she wouldn't open the door.

"Go put on underwear." I shake my head with a laugh.

"Thanks!" She closes the door. I have to put my hand on my mouth to stop the giggles. I'm staring at the letter in my hand, wondering if I should open it. I set it on the table. If I open it, it might make this whole thing real, and I might actually have to duel in a pro-league tournament. I need to call Rise. I go to grab out my phone, but there's already an incoming call. I can't help but laugh at who the caller ID shows.

"Yeah?" I answer.

"_KALLEN!"_ Rua screams from the other side. I have to hold the phone away from my ear. _"Guess WHAT!_" He doesn't give me any time to guess. _"I'm going to be in the Fortune Cup! I'm gonna be dueling against the pros in the Fortune Cup! Isn't that awesome!?"_

_"Rua, I got invited, not you,"_ Ruka sounded annoyed on the other end. Kallen stifled back a noise.

_"Ruka, you don't even wanna do it, so I'mma do it!"_

_"What, are you going to dress up like me too?"_

_"Well, yeah! We're twins!"_

_"I'm a girl, Rua, and you aren't. You don't have boobs."_

"Rua, don't even think about it," I say before Rua can suggest he wears a bra, which he might end up doing anyway. I can't stop him. I set my phone on speaker and set it on my dresser so I could get dressed.

_"Kallen, not you too!"_

_"Don't yell at Kallen. She thinks your ideas are stupid and so do I."_

_"Kallen, Ruka's being mean!"_

Rua whined.

"I don't not disagree with Ruka," I say with entertainment laced through my voice. "Your idea is stupid."

Rua wails from the other end.

* * *

"You're early," Jack is dressed casually. Just a tank top and jeans. He's holding a coffee cup in his hands. He looks like he just recently woke up. I try not to stare. His hair is nicely mused in a way that makes my heart feel revolting.

"Yeah, well, I didn't ask for this." I hold up the invitation in my hand. Jack scowls as he sets down the coffee and takes the letter from my hand. I grab his coffee cup and began taking sips. It's bitter, but it'll do.

"What is this shit?" Jack lets the paper drop onto the table. "Godwin said this was supposed to be a randomly selected tournament."

"You didn't have anything to do with it?"

"No. I could duel you fairly on my own time." Jack reaches for his coffee cup back, but I grab his hand, instead twisting so I was out of his reach. Jack is stronger than I am. He pulls me close to him, wraps his arm around my shoulders, his hand still holding mine, and makes it so I'm pressed against his body. I make a face. Jack uses his free hand to try and grab his coffee back, but I use my own free hand to chug the drink, my face distorting as the vile and bitter liquid makes its way down my throat. I can feel Jack chuckling, his body vibrating against mine. I can't help but laugh with him.

"Are you happy?"

"Very." I wipe my hand across my mouth, my body shuddering. I set the coffee cup down on the table, make my way out of Jack's grasp, and pick the envelope back up again.

"You're getting a new one."

"I'm not your maid. You can't afford me." I scan the letter over once more. "So. You think something's off."

"You can't expect me to believe that you were _randomly_ chosen just after we reconnect," Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "I doubt you know this, but Godwin is the one who chose all the participants."

"I guess that makes sense," I wrinkle my nose out of disdain. Lucy said the same thing. If two people are saying it, it can't be a coincidence. Our good 'ole Director is handpicking who he wants. "You think it's rigged."

"I think Godwin has a game he's playing." Jack hesitates. He has something he wants to say.

"Get your words out," I reply in a dry tone.

"Fuck off. I'm thinking," Jack closes his eyes. When he opens them, he turns so he's fully facing me. "I think it has something to do with this." Jack holds up his arm, the one with the mark on it.

"Yeah, because everything revolves around you." I'm trying not to look at the mark.

"I'm serious." Jack steps closer to me, his hands going on my arms. I back away out of habit. Jack looks annoyed, but he presses on. "There's something going on, something you and I don't know yet, but _he _does."

"Why would he care?" I put my hand on my hip. Jack looks away.

"I don't know," He sounds irritated. I let out a sigh.

"Look- I'm not saying you're not on to something..." I let my words trail off as I remember our duel. Jack's mark had started glowing. I also remembered the mark on the Black Rose Witch, something eerily similar to what had happened to Jack. And I remembered Lucy's words from this morning..."I don't think it's as deep as you're trying to make it, alright?"

Jack doesn't answer. The room cascades into silence. I move closer to the window, my hand moving to touch the city skyline. Jack's penthouse gives a _great_ view of the city.

"What are you thinking?" Jack's voice comes from behind me. I don't move.

"Not sure," I murmur. That's a lie. I have a lot of things on my mind. "Why did you come to the city if you're from Satellite?"

Jack pauses to dwell on my answer. "I came to become someone," He settles on the words. "You don't remember what the Satellite was like. It was no place to survive, let alone be something other than...nothing. We were lower than scum by city standards. No one cares whether you live or die." His words are bitter. I nod in response. "Kallen," The way he says my name makes me turn my head to look at him. I never get tired of hearing him say my name. His gaze is almost thoughtful. My face feels hot. I have to look away, or I fear my heart might make its way out of my ribcage. "Ever since you left, _we_ were all trying to figure out _why_," He shakes his head.

"You know I don't know," My words are almost inaudible. I'm trying not to sound upset. Even though I am. I don't want to talk about this.

"I know. You- _she_," he corrected. "She left behind her friends, a _brother_-"

"Stop," I feel my lung freeze. It's harder to breathe. "I have a brother?" I look up with wide eyes toward Jack, who looks almost embarrassed. Guilty. Regretful? I don't know how to describe the look on his face.

"Yes." He opens his mouth but closes it. I'm not sure whether I should ask questions, but it doesn't feel. Real? It doesn't feel like my life. It feels fake. It's her life.

"I left behind you, huh?" I change the topic instead.

"You left me a card," Jack confirmed. "I should have known that she was planning something."

"Why did she do that?"

"She..." Jack searches for the words. "It felt like a game to her. _Come find me_. It was a challenge. I couldn't pass it up. Yeager found me..." Jack trailed off. "They helped me get here. But I knew it was possible to leave Satellite." Jack's eyes cut to mine. "You found a way. I couldn't pass up the opportunity, not when I achieved what I wanted."

"Look, Jack," My hands are messing with the letter in my hands. "If you're trying to find an answer, or a reason-"

"I'm not."

"-okay, cool, but I don't know. I just. Don't know. I can't read the mind of someone who doesn't fuckin' exist, and if this chick was trying to find an exit or a solution, she didn't find it. She just..." She just left me behind in the chaos she made. She created _me_. Kallen. "I've been trying to understand her, really." I feel so small admitting it. "But. I can't. I just know myself."

"...did you leave another card behind?"

"Yeah." I think. I can't find it. Maybe I lost it. But if I left one card, it only makes sense I left another. Who too? My brother I don't know? A friend? An enemy?

"To who?"

"What do you think?" My response is biting. Jack turns his gaze back out the window.

"Sorry," He mutters. I almost don't hear him.

"I feel like you never say that. That word. I feel like you never apologize."

"You're different."

"Why?"

"It's you."

I take a deep breath. He makes my head spin. My hand reaches out for him. I'm aware of my questions, but I'm still holding my breath, sure he'll reject it. He takes it without hesitation, his hand enveloping mine. It's warm. Comforting. I think I like it.

"Were we close?"

Jack doesn't answer. He looks to my belt that holds my cards and nods. I smile. I know what he's saying. I reach for my deck and pull a random card. "King of Wands," I read off. The King of Wands is self-assured, a risk-taker, and often the center of attraction. It's upright, meaning something daring, something _adventurous._

In short, we were close. My card is telling me we were protective of each other. Yet, I can't tell if we were something _more_. When I put my card back in my deck, my eyes met Jack's once more. My free hand is still holding his.

I hear the door shut loudly. Someone- a woman- clears her throat. Jack and I let go of our hands to see a woman shorter than me, with blue hair cut into a bob. She's older, maybe in her mid to late twenties, with a look on her face I can't describe. Her face is red. "Mister Atlas," Her voice squeaks when she says his name. I can't help but roll my eyes.

A professional woman? All I see is a lovestruck schoolgirl with a hard-on for the King of Games.

"Yes?" Jack sounds bored.

"Mister Godwin is here to see you." Mikage bows.

"Let him in," Jack shoots me a look that I assume is supposed to be an apology, but my interest is peaked. I would _love_ to have a chat with Godwin, especially with the concerns I have regarding the intentions of his tournament.

"I'm afraid he would like to see you _alone_," Mikage, Jack's _assistant_, shoots me a rather nasty look. So that's the game we're playing. I keep my features neutral. I realize this woman is just being a petty, jealous brat. Gross.

"It's fine, I'll come back tonight." I give a salute to Jack. "See you later, Asshole."

"I have a duel today in the KaibaDome. Security will let you in." Jack says it like he expects me to go.

"I'm busy." I don't think about my response.

"Make time."

"No." I rebut. "Can't wait for this _nobody_ to steal your title in the Fortune Cup. If you win, I'll let you take me on a date." I shoot Jack a teasing wink, but that look on his face is _intense_. "But we know who will win."

"We'll see," Jack's answer is as noncommittal as mine.

"Mister Godwin would like to see you _now_, Jack!" Mikage raises her voice slightly. Jack ignores her. I give her a smile and a wave as I pass her by the exit, which only makes her bristle, but makes me feel accomplished. I feel like a proud woman.

Yet, I can't help but stop. I don't know what comes over me. My head spins until I have a clear view of Jack. And I smile. "Goodbye until tomorrow," I tell Jack Atlas.

The look on Jack's face- I can't begin to describe. It's a mix of shock and bewilderment. I think I've left him speechless. It's enough for me to happily make my way out of the apartment- knowing I, the tomorrow girl, made the King of Games shut down.

* * *

"Kallen, don't change the channel! Stooooop!" Rua wails as he tries to grab the remote from me, but I hold it away from him, my free hand pushing him away by shoving my palm against his face. "I wanna watch the King duel! _I wanna watch the King's duel!_"

"That sucks." I show no mercy. I wonder what Rua would say if I told him that I had been invited to the King's match, and I skipped to visit him and Ruka with Rise. He'd probably have a stroke. Or demand he takes my ticket. Rise gives an exasperated sigh. Her legs are resting on my lap while her fingers play with her beautifully combed blonde hair.

"Can't you guys get along?" Rise whines, her eyes batting to try and appeal to my good side. I don't have a good side. They're all nasty and teasing.

"Who's he dueling against?" Ruka asks curiously from her spot on the couch.

"I don't fucking care."

"Kallen, don't say fuck," Rise chides, but Ruka was giggling, which causes me to laugh, and for Rua to stomp his foot like the little kid he is mentally.

"You guys!" He stretches out the word. "It's not funny! I want the remote!"

"It's pretty funny," I argue back. I throw the remote up in the air, but when Rua goes to grab it, I hold out my hand and use my powers to keep it lifted. Rua and Ruka both stare with wide eyes.

"Since when can you do that?" Rise murmurs quietly, a hint of awe in her voice.

"Last week," I shrug nonchalantly. It's not a big deal.

"That's _so_ _cool_," Ruka lets out a breath. I feel proud of myself. I like that I can show off the control I have, the control I didn't have before. I let the remote drop, landing on Rua's head. He grabs it off the ground in victory.

"Yes! I got it!" Rua raises the remote above his head. I think about taking it from him, but decide to let him win this round.

"How did you learn to do that?" Ruka leans closer to me, her eyes alight with curiosity. Her shirt pulls on her sleeve, revealing a hint of red. My eyes zone in on the red. It's similar I think to the mark on Jack and the Black Rose Witch.

I don't think I've ever seen Ruka wear a short sleeve shirt. Maybe I'm imagining things. Maybe I'm paranoid. But it would explain why Ruka was invited to the tournament, based on Jack's theory.

I'm insane. Calm down, Kallen. You're overthinking again.

"My friend," I answer. "She-"

There's a bang on the glass doors. Rise and I both jump up on the defense, while Ruka and Rua crouch down in fear, before peeking their heads over the couch. My hand stretches out, ready to attack-

I'm not even surprised. I lower my hand, instead choosing to rub my eyes with a loud sigh.

Lucy waves energetically from the other side of the glass door. She points to the handle, motioning that she wanted to be let in. She looked like a puppy waiting for its owner to let them in the house after running around outside.

"Should we call Public Maintenance?" Rise is clinging to my arm, her hands pressing tightly against my skin. I slowly detach myself from her.

"It's fine. I know her," I let out a sigh as I step closer to the door.

"Who is she!?" Rua tries, I think, to whisper. It comes out as more of a hushed yell. Scratch that, it's just a yell.

"She's my friend, the psychic I was just talking about." I unlock the door, letting the stray cat in. Ruka perks up at the mention of the word psychic.

"Hello!" Lucy loudly declares her greeting as she skips into the room. "Sorry for barging in! I have something to tell my friend."

"It would have been easier to _call_."

"But there's no excitement," Lucy laughs. "No suspense! What if something happened, and this was the only chance I had?" I roll my eyes in response.

"How did you get on our pool deck?!" Rua loudly asks.

"We live on the top floor, and you didn't buzz in," Ruka adds. "You shouldn't have been able to do that."

"Magic," Lucy says the answer as if it's obvious. Ruka and Rua both look at her as if she's a descending goddess, while I wonder if she was crazy enough to scale the fucking building. I decide then and there I don't want to know. I don't need to know.

"Breaking in is a felony," Rise puffs out. She reminded me of an angry bird with the way she was looking at Lucy. Lucy didn't seem at all bothered. Lucy, with her large grin and vegetable shorts, was a stark contrast to Rise in her pink casual aesthetic.

"I think I was invited in," Lucy breezily responded. "I got some more information on those marks, supergirl-"

"_Supergirl?"_ Rise's eyes narrowed at the playful nickname Lucy gave me.

"I don't think we met!" Lucy twirled on her heel to face Rise. She didn't offer out her hand, I noticed. "I'm Lucy Andersen. You're Rise, right?" Lucy had a friendly smile on her face.

"Right," Rise raised her chin in the air.

"She's Rise," I confirmed. I was getting annoyed at how Rise was treating Lucy, especially since Lucy wasn't being obnoxious or rude. "Over there is Ruka and Rua."

"Hi!" Rua chirped, while Ruka examined Lucy with a watchful eye.

"Another psychic," Lucy scanned Ruka up and down. "Yeah, I know, I can see it too," Lucy murmured to her left and raised her hand to pet the air. I've gotten used to Lucy enough to know it's one of her duel spirits. If I had to guess, it was Ruby Carbuncle.

"You-you-" Ruka's mouth dropped open. "You can-"

"Can what?" Lucy winked. She seemed to be enjoying every second she could show off her powers.

"We're the same," Ruka murmured in disbelief. "We can both see duel spirits."

"Snazzy," Lucy dropped her hand back to her side. "Sounds like you might be in the need of a teacher-"

"What do you want?" Rise interrupted briskly. "Seriously, why did you even come?"

"Oh yeah!" Lucy whirled to face me. "I tried looking into the marks more, to see what was going on. Looks like you're on to something, by the way, but the information is all locked up."

"So who does know?"

"It all leads back to one person," Lucy held one finger up in the air. "One word. You won't be stunned. It's Godwin."

"The Director?" Rise looked confused. "What are you getting yourself into now, Kal?" Rise looked worried. I didn't blame her. She was used to me doing some weird shit illegal with Ike.

"I'll tell you later," I promise Rise. She deserves to know, but I don't want to say anything in front of the kids. This isn't something teenagers should be concerned with.

"Okay," Rise seems hurt by my response. I try not to linger on it.

"Why can't we know too?" Rua demands.

"Oh, it's just boring gossip," Lucy plays it off with a carefree laugh. "Hey, that's a cool pattern on your sleeve," Lucy zero's in on Ruka and touches her sleeve gently, revealing slightly more of her mark. Lucy saw it too. I'm not shocked. She's observant, more so than me. "Speaking of _neat_, that's a neat birthmark," Lucy compliments casually.

"Y-yeah," Ruka takes her arm away and blushes pink. "I've always had it."

"Can I see it?" Lucy presses. Ruka hesitates. "You don't have to if you don't want to," Lucy adds. "It's your choice. I just think it looks awesome from what I can see."

"It totally is!" Rua jumps in the air. "I don't know why I don't have one since we're twins, but Ruka's had that since we were born!"

"_Rua!" _Ruka hisses.

"I'd like to see it," I add my voice in. Rise gives me a look. She knows I'm up to something, but I don't look at her. I can't. Ruka hesitates again, before she gently rolls up her sleeve, revealing a claw mark similar to what the Black Rose Witch had.

"See! I was right. It totally is cool," Lucy is overdramatic with her praise, causing Ruka to turn a deeper shade of red before hastily pulling her sleeve back up, saying it's nothing.

But Lucy and I share a knowing look. Ruka has a similar mark. Ruka was also invited to be a participant of the Fortune Cup. Something doesn't add up.

* * *

**RR: **_We need to talk._

**RR:** _Soon._

I ignore the texts coming in. "So. You couldn't find anything?" I say into the phone.

"_You know I can't, Kal. Godwin keeps his files locked up_," Elodie sounds apologetic on the phone. "_I can try, but you already know what I'll find_."

"Jack shit," I give an amused look to the blonde sitting on my couch. He doesn't find the joke nearly as funny as I do. "Thanks anyway. I appreciate you."

"_I wish I could have found something. Hey, by the way, have you talked to Rise lately? She seems down."_

_"_No. I don't know what's going on," I only halfway lied. I know she's upset because of me, but I don't know _why_. "I'll check in soon."

"_Okay, thanks."_

_"_Lots of love." I hang up the phone.

**RR: **_I know you're reading these!_

I chuck my phone onto the table and collapse on the couch, side landing on Jack's lap. He lets out a soft grunt at the impact.

"No good news, then," Jack shook his head.

"Did you ask Godwin?"

"He brushed off my questions."

"Fuck him," I turn my body so I'm looking up at Jack's face. "I'll head down there and make him answer my fucking questions."

"Why don't you?" Jack's rebuttal makes me sit up, my brow furrowed.

"What does that mean?" I ask incredulously.

"Demand entry to his office and make him answer your question," Jack says it so simply that it makes my head spin trying to process it. "You're invited to _his_ tournament. Why wouldn't you be able to meet him?"

"Guess I never thought of that," I admit. There's a stretch of silence between us as I think about Jack's words. I hear my phone buzz. It's a different vibration than my default, meaning it was Rise calling. She must be upset if she's resorted to calling.

I did tell Rise my concerns. She didn't believe me, then was mad I didn't tell her, and then went back to not believing me. She refuses to believe anything could be wrong with the tournament she was MCing. I have mixed feelings. She doesn't trust Lucy. She accused her of being just as bad of an influence as Ike was. I don't believe her. I can't believe her.

Lucy's helped me in ways Rise could never, especially with controlling my energy. I can't repay that. Even if Lucy had ulterior motives, I can't say I give a flying fuck. It felt like my path was taking a new direction, one that I was finally starting to become happy again.

My eyes move to Jack. I smile. When I try to think of the Jack she knew, I can only get glimpses of feelings. Sometimes I wonder if they're her feelings or mine, and then I wonder if it matters if I'm happy either way. I can't tell. He wants me in his life, no matter who I am, which I appreciate.

I'm not her. I'm _not her_.

"Jack," My voice comes out higher pitched than I would have liked. Jack's eyes met mine, showing he was listening. "My- _her_...her brother. Is he older or younger."

This was the only question I had. I don't know why I want to know. It's been burning the back of my mind since Jack told me he existed.

"Older." He doesn't elaborate. I don't ask him to. I nod in satisfaction before I leaned back, my head resting in that spot right between his arm and his chest. I curl my knees up to my own chest and just sit there peacefully. He asks if we want to watch a movie. He mentions casually that Godwin is producing a film about Jack's rising stardom. I think it's hilariously stupid.

My phone keeps going off. I don't pick it up. The calls only stop when my phone's battery dies. I know that's the only reason the texts and calls stop.


	7. Wandering Child

_"So lost, so helpless_

_Yearning for my guidance_

_Angel or father? Friend or phantom?_

_Who is it there staring?"_

_(The Phantom of the Opera)_

* * *

"It's happening today, huh?" Lucy raised a slender eyebrow to me as she threw a sunflower seed into her mouth. I finished buttoning up my lucky old black-button up and tucked the fabric into my pencil skirt.

"Yeah," I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows. I had to dig around to find this fossil of a fabric. It was my old Duel Academia shirt, meaning it was pushed all the way to the back of my closet. "Elodie's gonna help me get in." I leaned down to slide my feet into a pair of wedged boots. "It's time to find out what the son of a bitch knows."

"You sure you don't want me to go with?" Lucy's voice was laced with concern. I chuckled.

"Nah. I'll be fine." My gaze went to Lucy. "Elodie will be there, and Jack's just a distance away."

"Call me after everything's done."

"Sure." I salute my friend. "Well. I'm off."

"Break a leg!" Lucy smiles widely at me. I smile back before turning and leaving through the front door. My heels clock on the wood floor with each step.

I'm headed over to the main office for the Public Maintenance Bureau. It's a mission I've been planning for a week with Jack, Lucy, and Elodie's help. Every clue we get, every lead we find, it stops at a closed-door with Godwin's name written in bold letters. He's the only one with the information we need.

I'm going to get it out of him. About why it seems like every person with a goddamn mark is invited to this tournament- _The Fortune Cup_. About my role in this grand scheme. It could just be pure coincidence that I was invited, but something tells me there's more.

After all, it was me who was dueling when two of the marks started glowing. It was during my duel with Jack when his arm started glowing, and during the Black Rose Witch and I's confrontation. Jack said it never happened during any of his other duels. It has to be me. Right? I'm not sure how, or why, but it _has_ to be me. None of it makes sense. I can't wrap my head around it, and it _bothers me_.

I already don't know a lot. I don't know a damn thing about her, but I can know about this. I _will_ find out.

It's not a long walk to the Public Maintenance headquarters. I look up at the tall building, my eyes narrowing. It was now or never. I hold my head up high and march inside the building. The secretary at the front desk doesn't question me. She's seen me deliver takeout to Elodie before. She gives a slight wave as I pass by. I don't react. I don't feel bad for it. I can't let my focus drop.

I head deeper into the building, where I know the elevator is. The Director's office is on the top floor. My hand reaches for the button to head up, when a large fist grabs onto my wrist. I yank my arm away, my gold eyes narrowing into a scowl as I face this asshole who thinks he has permission to touch me.

He's tall. Black hair and dark eyes with tanned skin. I may have vaguely recognized him, but I don't care enough to try to place him in my memories. I click my tongue in irritation. My mission is delayed.

"Can I _help you?_" My voice is monotone. Bored. I'm trying to hide my anger, but I doubt I hid it well.

"Just who the hell do you think you are to trespass on security property?" He has a gruff tone to him. The type of asshole who thinks he's the smartest, the one in charge, of any room he walks in.

"Thought this was a public building," My hand goes to my hip. I feel the smirk cross my features. "Kinda the whole purpose of _Public Maintenance_, ain't it? As far as I know, I'm not breakin' any rules."

"You're a smart ass, aren't you?" It comes off as a question, but his words read more like a statement. "This isn't a playground, kid. Get lost."

"I have a meeting with the Director," I hold my ground. "It's business."

"There's no way in any gods given hell that some brat like you-"

"Kallen?" That voice. It cuts through the air, instantly silencing the bastard mid-sentence. A smirk stretches across my features. I'm saved. A dark-skinned man crosses the corner, his eyebrow raised as he let out a sigh of exasperation. This man. I would die for him.

Lex Morgan, the Father of Elodie Morgan, was a saint for putting up with me and inviting me into his home, even after all the shit I pulled in the past. I know he's a lead supervisor for one of the departments in the Public Maintenance Bureau, but I don't remember which one.

"And what do you think you're doing?" His tone is slightly scolding in a way only a man with kids would speak to their daughter's best friend. Ushio watches, his mouth slightly agape, as he realizes I'm not just some high school kid playing adult in a fancy office.

"Just visitin'. I have a meeting with the Director. I'm future duelist in that tournament." A smile stretches across my features. "Maybe you've heard of it. Just a thin' called the _Fortune Cup_," My voice is sickly sweet as I hold the invitation up. Lex nods in understanding.

"Right," He lets out a chuckle. "I should tell you off for coming without an appointment, but for you? I'll see what I can do." He pats my shoulder affectionately. I turn my eye to Ushio, who looks ready to burst.

"You- _she!_" He can't seem to find the right words. "This is against- _that scum-" _He's having trouble forming the words he wants. He appears to indeed be ready to explode. But alas. We can't be that lucky.

"Ushio." Lex's voice is hard. "_Rank_. Remember." Lex walks past him without another word. He stops but doesn't look back at Ushio. "She's my daughter's best friend. As far as I'm concerned, that makes her my family. I'll pretend this didn't happen, as long as it _doesn't_ happen again." Ushio's face turns red, but Lex doesn't give him a second to rebut as he keeps walking. I give Ushio a wave as I walk by, just to let him know who won this round. He's sputtering something, but I don't stop to listen, as much as I would have _loved_ to chat more.

"Sorry about that, Kal," Lex apologies for the other man. "Ushio means well. He...jumps the gun, so to speak."

"Then he shouldn't be here," I state bluntly. "If he's gonna call out every young punk for being a criminal."

"You young punks _are_ criminals," Lex teases me. "But he _is_ still an officer. That means you have to show him some respect as well."

"Don't wanna."

"_Kallen_."

"_Lex."_

He shakes his head. He's leading me through the halls, scanning his ID on the door to gain access. "Elodie should be up ahead. I don't have to remind you to be on your best behavior, do I? Don't start any more trouble."

"Me?" I bat my eyelashes. "Trouble? I would _never_."

Lex gives me that _look_. I have the same smirk on my face. "I shouldn't have to remind you that what you do reflects _back_ on Elodie, along with me." His voice is serious. "Don't cause any unnecessary problems. I don't need to know _why_ you want to speak with the Director, but that means I'm trusting you not to end up in the Detention Center."

"Roger that, Cap," I salute him. He rolls his eyes but otherwise seems satisfied with our conversation end. Or, I take it that way, since he begins to turn and walk down the hall. I raise my hand to wave, even if he can't see it.

I have to bite my lip to stop myself from smiling. I can't see Elodie anywhere, even though this is supposed to be where she primarily worked.

Right in front of me is a large door. I know who it belongs to. Director Rex Godwin.

And it looks like there's no one stopping me from entering. I march forward, my hand poised in the air to knock, but you know what? Fuck it. My hand wraps around the handle, and I confidently pull towards me.

I'm not sure what I see first. It's bright. The wall I'm facing isn't a wall- but a window and the sunlight is in my eyes. I raise my hand in the air- so I can have some semblance of sight- but I have to stop. There he is.

His back is facing me. He's tall- void of color, except for gray. Gray suit. Gray hair longer than mine. I know when he turns, his eyes will be gray. There's no sound, not until the door closes behind me. I had forgotten when I had let go.

"You came." His voice is deep. I've heard it somewhere before, but I don't know where. It's hauntingly familiar.

Yet, the more I think about it, this whole...I don't know how to describe it. This whole thing is just _familiar_.

"I didn't know you were expecting me," I reply back. I want to move forward, to step closer, but I can't. "Listen, I'm-"

"Kallen Rikiya," The way he says my name- he sounds amused. Entertained. "I'm aware."

"Do I know you?" I blurt out. "Beyond the whole '_I invited you to my tournament' _kind of bullshit." Despite the fact I swore in front of the esteemed Director, he gives no response if he's offended. "Because-"

"As a matter of fact, we do know each other." Godwin cuts me off. My eyes widened. He must have seen the bewildered look that had to have been on my features. I open my mouth to speak. "I've received the word you had a..._spat _with one of my officers."

"What?" My eyes blink. "Back up."

"Tetsu Ushio." Godwin's tone is neutral. His words are slow. "I want to hear your thoughts- let's say on his performance."

My...thoughts. On his actions. Oh boy.

"I think he's an arrogant asshole who assumes he's in the right," I answer honestly. "That's the vibe I get. He'd do better handlin' petty thieves down in Satellite."

Godwin nods. His back is still facing me. It's how I realize that I have yet to see his expression once. His motions are slow- deliberate- as he presses a single button on the machine sitting on his desk. "Mikage. Make a note. Alert Officer Ushio that he will be relocated to the Satellite and placed on patrol."

"Wait- hold on- excuse me?" I blurt out. I don't even hear Mikage's reply. My body moves on its own, stepping forward until I was right in front of Godwin's desk- directly across from him. "First of all, _why_, but second of all-"

"I've always had a fondness for mythology. Tales of heroes and villains." His statement comes out of nowhere. I _hate_ it when I'm thrown off. "There's one tale in particular- a myth of five chosen warriors destined to destroy the evil that rained on the Earth."

"Sounds like it could be any story," I mutter.

"This one, as it seems, is different. It's a story that is shifting around us in reality." Godwin finally turns to face me. I feel my breath leave me. His expression is...intense, to say the least. His eyes meet mine- which I have to force myself to maintain eye contact, to not turn away, no matter how badly I desperately wanted to. I would not show fear.

"I don't get what this has to do with anything," I'm not sure how my voice remains even.

"Isn't that the very reason you came? To find answers?" Godwin sounds amused. "Legend says five individuals were born with powers like no other- the power of the Crimson Dragon. Only these five can stop the darkness threatening to plague our world."

"The Crimson Dragon..." I echo. "That's not a myth. You're talkin' like this is fate."

"Is it not? Is it not fate that you were brought here, or that you met Jack Atlas once more?"

"No, I..." I trail off. My head hurt. There's something in the back of my mind, something screaming, but I can't understand. "It's just...coincidence."

"Coincidence," He repeats the word almost mockingly. I want to be angry at him, but I'm. Confused. "Was it not a coincidence that lead you to discover the mark that reveals the five heroes of power? Was that not fate?"

The marks of power. It takes a second for everything to click. It _was_ me. Godwin pretty much confirmed it. "What's the Crimson Dragon?" I've never heard my voice sound so small.

"Legend says that the mighty being split itself into five, creating his five heroes. They each bear the mark symbolizing their power. In legend, we call them the _Signers._" His eyes bore into mine. I look away. I can't look at him any longer without feeling the need to run. "You've seen them."

I don't want to confirm or deny. I don't think I want to be here anymore.

"Are you aware of the Zero Reverse?"

"Who isn't?" I remark bitterly. I'm not sure why I feel bitter.

"Would you elaborate on how it was caused?"

"An...an earthquake," I answer shakily. Godwin seems to pick up on my hesitancy. His eyebrow raises slightly. I feel like a mouse trapped in a corner, with Godwin as the cat.

"Is something wrong?" He sounds concerned. I know he's not.

"I'm- I...I'm not sure," My response is lame. It's the answer I was told in Duel Academia. It's the answer everyone knows. But it doesn't feel _right_. There's a thought in the back of my mind, tugging, _screaming_, but I can't reach it. History told me it was an earthquake, but there are pieces missing. I used to know.

"You're intelligent, Kallen," The way he says my name sends a jolt running through my body, down to my fingers. It's praise from an adult I rarely get. I can't explain why it feels _nice_. "You wonder why you were chosen. It's because you're the only one I can trust to locate the Signers, and reveal their locked power." He pauses. "Why do you think it was named the _Fortune Cup?"_

"I-I don't know you." I'm stuttering. I can hardly breathe. There are thoughts running through my mind, but when I reach out, they're gone, leaving only empty anxiety. "We're _strangers_. How the hell could you trust me?"

"I can assure you that we are not strangers," He smiles slightly. It reminds me of a viper- one that just targeted its prey. "Come here." He held out his gloved hand. I force my hand to stop shaking. His touch is...cold? Cold. Hard. He leads me around his desk.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at, but when I find it...it's a picture of..._me_. A framed picture of me at my Duel Academia graduation. There's another beside it, one of me at a party, my arm wrapped around Rise. Then a final one, the smallest, one where I'm smiling. I remember I had won a minor duel tournament in the Daimon Area. These were key moments in my life, one that I didn't even have pictures of. The whole scene reminded me of a portrait a Father would have for his children- a scene you see in those TV shows of a happy family.

"Why do you have these?" I can't hear the words that escape my lips. "You don't know me."

"But I do." Godwin nods to his desk. "After all, I am the very reason you were able to live in Neo Domino City."

A light goes off over my head. The realization is swift. "You're the one who sent those papers to Rise's house. For Kallen." My stomach feels sick. This is too much. "_Why."_

Godwin comes close to me. His hand rests on my shoulder. I flinch, yet I don't move away. He's too close to me. With his other hand, he reaches to open the first drawer on his desk and pulls out a picture. He sets it upside down on the desk, so I couldn't see the picture and gestured for me to look. He's leaving the option to me.

It doesn't feel like I have a choice.

My body is shaking. I use both of my hands to grip the frame, to turn it over. I force myself not to drop it.

It's a picture of three people. One I instantly recognize as Godwin, albeit younger. He has short brown hair. But he's not the one who's making my heart jump.

There's a tall man, blonde hair, the same gray eyes as Godwin. He's smiling in the picture. His arms are wrapped around the woman in the middle.

She looks exactly like me. Long black hair, the same oval face, the same olive skin. The only difference I can see is the fact that her eyes are _pink_ compared to my gold.

I know who they are. I'm sure of it. These are my parents. Something inside me is confirming. There's no doubt.

And once I know that I can see the similarities in my Dad. I have his nose. I wonder if my brother looks more like our Dad, or our Mom, or-

"The man in that picture is my brother, Rudger." Godwin's voice is calm. It breaks me out of my reverie. "The woman was his wife, Airi."

"They're my parents." I'm not asking for confirmation. I already know I'm right. Godwin nods. "You said this was your brother," I whisper. I understand now.

"Both passed during the ill-fated Zero Reverse," Godwin's hand tightens on my shoulder.

"No," My response is immediate, my body shuddering. "That's not right." The reaction is _strong_, but I'm right. I'm right. Right? "You trust me because I'm family."

"Correct."

"...you said you like myths." I take a shaky breath. "Stories of heroes and villains."

"Yes."

"...so what are we?"

I have never been a hero. I never wanted to be a hero.

I am also not a villain. I refuse.

"I am the keeper of information, the one destined to guide the Signers on the path of righteousness."

"And me? What's my path?" I swallow. I can feel the tears burning the back of my eyes, but I hastily blink. Godwin regards me cooly in what I assume is his best attempt at affection.

Godwin doesn't answer right away. The silence in the air is thick. I take a deep breath. There's a rapid sound of glass breaking. I turn to see that the glass on one of the picture frames shattered.

"I'm sorry. I-I'm _sorry_," I sputter out the words.

"Perhaps we should schedule another meeting. Over lunch." Godwin suggests. I nod. I can't speak. I have no words. His back turns to me once more. My uncle. My _uncle_. I have a family. I'm his niece.

It's too easy to turn and run out of the room. It's too easy to ignore the shouts telling me to slow down, to stop, to _come back_. I don't stop until I'm down the road and jamming the call button on this stupid, shitty, expensive apartment. I don't stop until Jackass Asshole answers, and I don't let myself cry until he's standing in front of me.

"Kallen." His eyes widen. "What happened?"

"Can you take me somewhere?" My voice shakes. I hate it. "Anywhere. Please."

Jack stares at me. His hand reaches out, maybe to grab me, but he stops. Instead, he grabs my hand in his. The tight pressure his hand gives mine is already a world of comfort. He's leading me to the garage, where I sit on his D-Wheel.

"Here." He grabs the spare helmet and carefully sets it on my lap. He's standing in front of me.

"Where are we going?" I look down at the helmet in my hands, the one he ordered for _me_.

"Anywhere." His response is simple, I can't help but chuckle.

My hand moves to my deck, where I draw a single card. XIV. Temperance. This card represents Rex Godwin, my revealed uncle. It's a card that means patience, it's difficult to interpret, and it wants to achieve harmony. I close my eyes. Jack wraps his hand around mine, the one holding the card, and slowly takes it from me to set on a nearby stand. He leans down, his forehead touching mine, his hand resting itself hesitantly on the side of my cheek. I lean into his touch. I hear him let out a breath before he pulls back. I feel a kiss on my forehead. I can't help but smile in response. When I open my eyes, he's there.

It's like he knew what I needed. The wind running through my hair, the vibration of the machine underneath...my arms wrapped around his torso. I'm not sure where we're going, and I don't care. I don't care.

* * *

Why the fuck do I have thirteen missed calls?

My phone died somewhere on my adventure with Jackass. I only just plugged my charger in when I got home. I open the one with the least messages, which is Elodie.

**EM**: _Hey, sorry I missed you, Yeager sent me on an errand! How'd it go?_

**EM**: _Godwin seems really happy!_

**EM**: _Your word and it gets deleted_

Deleted? What gets deleted?

"There she is!" Lucy comes into the room, all smiles and grins. "It's Jack Atlas's girlfriend!"

"Funny," I roll my eyes.

"Didn't you see the news?"

"No."

"You should. Looks like someone snagged a pic of you and the King," Lucy tosses me her phone. I type in the passcode, only to almost throw it right back at Lucy.

There in bold letters is a news article. Underneath is a picture of Jack and I, my arms wrapped around Jack, on his D-Wheel. Another shows him and I getting coffee at a cafe.

'**_SECRETLY DATING!? THE KING AND MYSTERIOUS LOVER SEEN SPOTTED! FLIRTY DATES AND ROAD TRIPS!_**"

"Oh, _fuck me_." I scroll down through the article.

'**_THIS MYSTERIOUS GIRL IS NO OTHER THAN KALLEN RIKIYA, AN UPCOMING DUELIST IN THE FORTUNE CUP WHERE JACK ATLAS IS THE FRONT RUNNER. WILL FORTUNE CUP DIVIDE THESE TWO STAR-CROSSED DUELISTS, OR WILL THEIR HOTS FOR EACH OTHER IN THEIR PASSIONATE-"_**

"I'm finished," I toss Lucy's phone onto the couch. I can't with this. "Seriously, do people not have any fucking decency? We went out for _coffee._"

"You tell me, you're the girlfriend in this." Lucy sounds entertained by my downfall. "You're the one who got that _coffee of love."_

"Fuck you." I check my messages. Ike messaged me and left a voicemail. Delete. It's been too damn long of a day to deal with his insecurity and jealousy.

**RR:** _I know we're not talking but really?_

**RR: **_I wish you would have told me._

Fuck.

**KR:** _Calling soon. Sorry_

I check my voicemails. One's from Rua, which I can barely understand through the babble. It sounds like he's wailing about the fact I never introduced him to the King. I delete it before I can get through it all. I dial Elodie.

"_Hey, I guess you saw-"_

"Delete it." I cut her off with no hesitation. I hear Lucy cackling in the background.

"_On it, Kal. Just give me a few minutes." _The line clicks off. I throw my phone on the counter, only to glare at the redhead.

"Hey, look on the bright side! You're finally famous!" Lucy grins at me. I take off my heel and chuck it at her, but she expertly dodges, her tongue in between her teeth. I threw my other shoe with the same result.


	8. Miracle of Miracles

_"The most miraculous one of all_

_Is the one I thought could never be:_

_God has given you to me!"_

_(Fiddler on the Roof)_

* * *

"I'll kill him."

"Is he worth it?" Lucy raises her eyebrow, that mischievous smirk of hers igniting her pretty features in a devilish light. My fists are balled at my side, a scowl on my face. I raise my chin in the air.

"In my eyes, it's one less prick taking oxygen." I'm fuming. I know that.

"Seriously, ignore him. You can't let people like that get to you. It's not worth it."

"He's my coworker. I gotta listen to him, even if I don't wanna." And I never want to. Ever since that news report came out of me and Jack, nobody in my goddamn life would shut up about it. Mateo was the worst offender at work. The worst offender in every word of the matter, really. Everyone else could keep their lips shut, even Rua some of the time, but Mateo? Keep his mouth shut? Gods forbid.

"Hm," Lucy shrugs. Her messenger bag was slung over her shoulder, this one new, or maybe old. I can't tell. Either way, it stated, _"TAX THE RICH" _in large font on the sides. I could see the multiple cans of spray paint sneaking out of her bag. It was only then that maybe I should have questioned _where_ Lucy was taking us.

"Not that I don't like it when you pick me up from work," I let a small smile slip. "But-"

"It's a surprise," Lucy cuts me off, her finger slipping over her mouth in a silent gesture for me to _shush_, which she finishes off with a wink.

"Fine." I roll my eyes. "Be like that."

"I thought you needed an adventure." Lucy stops once she spotted a building. I knew in her eyes she saw an empty canvas, something she could color to fit her own agenda. I know I'm right when I see her face rise in curiosity, that same devious smile lighting up. She sprinted over, almost forgetting to wave me over in her haste, and dropped her bag.

"You know this is illegal." I hurry to catch up. Lucy lets out a cackle.

"Yeah, _right_. Don't get started. I _know_ your history." Lucy throws me a can of spray paint. The object felt familiar in my hands, even though I know I had never used spray paint before. For a brief second, I wonder if _she_ ever did.

"Follow my lead," Lucy takes out the green can of spray paint.

And I do. I follow her lead. The motions come naturally. It's...nice, I realize. It's nice doing this next to someone. I yearned for this, but I don't remember why I missed this feeling in the first place.

The whirl of a D-Wheel sounds behind us. Neither Lucy nor I move. I know Lucy doesn't because she's never afraid of confrontation. I'm not afraid because I probably know the Officer.

I'm right. Of course, I'm right. Blue hair, brown eyes, and I know I've won the game of luck this time. Officer Soichi Kazama. This was too easy.

"I got a call about someone vandalizing a city building, but I didn't think I'd see you, Kal," Kazama raises an eyebrow on that gorgeous face of his. I let out an easy laugh. He's not mad. I'm getting off easy.

"If I agree to leave, pretend this never happened, will you let me go?" I let my voice have a ringing lilt to it as I leaned casually against the wall. "Or do I have to schedule somethin' where you take me out and tell me why what I did is wrong?"

"Depends if you're free." Kazama takes the bait. "Coffee? I'll text you when I'm off work."

"Maybe." My response is always vague. "Only if you let us off with a warnin'. I think we've got some catchin' up to do."

"Only for you, Kal, but seriously. Get out of here. I'm letting you off with a warning, but not all Officers are scared of offending Lex. Or appreciate a pretty girl."

"Aye aye, Officer." I sarcastically salute him. Kazama laughs before he takes off. Lucy is giving me an amused look.

"You went out with a Public Maintenance Officer?" Lucy can't stop the chuckle that escapes. I don't ask how she correctly guessed.

"Just him." I shrug.

"What happened to Jack?"

"Fuck, Luce, we're not _dating_, let alone exclusive."

"Fine, fine. Don't let me tell you how to live." Lucy shakes her can of spray paint. "Seriously? A _police officer_?"

"Did you want the fine? 'Cause I'd _love_ to text him and get your ass handed to you."

"You know I love you." Lucy grins. "We're almost done. Just a few last touches and..._perfect_." Lucy steps back to admire her masterpiece.

I have to admit. It _is_ a masterpiece.

In a dying field is a bridge- a broken bridge that leads to glowing heaven. The field is riddled with what looks to be zombies- but I know Lucy intended for it to be the sick.

**_WAKE UP_**

**_THE EARTHQUAKE IS A JOKE_**

**_YOUR NEIGHBORS DIE FOR YOUR COMFORT_**

**_FREE SATELLITE, FINISH THE BRIDGE_**

**_"_**Bold words," I state.

"That's the point." Lucy is packing up her supplies. "Come on. You can't seriously tell me you believe that an _earthquake _caused all this. And even if that's true, what's the point in leaving people to starve in Satellite? What's the point in dumping criminals if we leave them with people who are absolutely innocent?" Lucy's beautiful features twist into something more intense- an emotion she only feels when she gets riled up. "It's not right. You ever heard of the bridge?"

"The broken bridge," I echo. "No."

"It's this old tale told in Satellite. Apparently, at the beginning of this whole thing, one man tried to build the bridge." Lucy slings her backpack over her shoulder. "Eventually, people were so inspired they began to join in. Then, Public Maintenance tried to stop him. The man took his D-Wheel and flew over the bridge, where-"

"He hasn't been seen since," I finish, my eyes closing. When I open them, Lucy's eyes are wide in shock.

"Well, yeah..." Lucy trails off. "You know the story?"

"...no." But that's a lie. Lucy doesn't look convinced about my lie. I'm tired of saying I don't know why I don't remember some things, but I know others. It's exhausting.

"It's inspiring. I'd like to meet him, see what he thinks, why he did it. He's like the god of rebellion.- of stickin' it to rich people's assholes." Lucy looks up at her mural in awe. "He tried to unite Satellite and Neo Domino, despite others leaving them for dead. I wanna be like that too." Lucy looked at me with a wide grin. "I wanna help people too. I wanna connect strangers together."

"Don't worry." My smile is genuine. "I know you'll change the world."

After all. She changed mine.

"When I heard the police report, for some reason, I knew it was you." A voice sounds behind us. Both Lucy and I turn to see Elodie, her eyes also catching the mural. She looks almost...hurt.

"You gonna arrest us?" Lucy perks up at seeing Elodie. The two are getting along well. Elodie shakes her head, a small chuckle leaving her.

"Not today, you hoodlums," She smiles, but I still see that flash of...something. I don't know how to describe it.

"We're all here, my as well get somethin'." I gesture for the two to follow me. Elodie looks back at the mural.

"...is that what you really think?...of us?" Elodie murmurs.

"Not you specifically," Lucy is the one who answers. "But yeah, I don't think any of y'all in the city really get what's going on outside. Not your fault. Just ignorant."

"...oh," Elodie's voice is small. "Kallen? You _get...that?"_

I take a second to think about it. "Not sure." My reply is non-committal. We've always assumed I was from the Satellite, but there's no definite proof.

"People are dying over there, and no one gives a shit." Lucy picks at the bottom of her shirt. "Do you know how many orphanages run there? How many kids were left without someone?" Lucy has a bias. But she's not wrong. "We can pretend the Daimon Area is similar to there, but it's not. It's all petty criminals who didn't spew enough injustice to be sent to the Satellite, and the poor who can't stop being poor because that's Not. How it. Works." Lucy enunciates each word angrily.

"You feel a lot about this, huh?" Elodie's eyes are wide. She's walking beside me. Lucy is in front.

"I feel a lot about a lot of things," Lucy agrees. "People deserve to live. Instead, they're receiving a consolation prize for just being alive." Lucy looks up at the tall towers surrounding us. "We're the lucky ones. We're living. Others are only alive. Their reward is breathing. And what do we get?" We have no answer. Elodie and I and walk in silence.

My senses are blaring. Lucy must have felt it too. She tenses, her whole body moving as her hands went to grab her duel disk from her backpack, but she's struggling with the amount packed in the tiny bag. Elodie lets out a shriek. I move forward on instinct, shoving Elodie behind me, my fists flying through the air.

It's a man. He's not a psychic, or I would have felt his aura. He's masked, hiding any identifying features, but he's quick. He blocks every move I make, but I move out of the way of his offensive attacks.

It almost feels like a synchronized dance. It's not hard to guess his next move. He seems to be frustrated, while I feel lively.

Then he crouches down. I think he's going to aim for my stomach, but something tells me it's a trick. I move back in time, my arms moving up to block instead of down. I was right. It was a fake-out- he was reaching for my neck.

"Did you really think that would work?" I laugh.

But then. He stops. He's frozen in place. Slowly, he moves to remove the mask. He's pretty. Bleached blonde hair, light green eyes, tanned skin. The only jarring thing is the three circles below his left eye- the mark of a criminal.

His eyes water.

And he _says that name_.

He knows _her_.

"I'm sorry," I blurt. "Do I know you?"

His face falls. For a second, he looks as if he's trying to guess if he's wrong, but his eyes narrow. I know he's not wrong, he might have known _her_, but I'm. Me. "That's not funny," His voice is soft. He sounds like he'd be playful if he weren't crestfallen. "You know who I am. Come on, Tomorrow Girl."

"I'm supposed to know a lot of things," I look to Lucy and Elodie, who appears to be in shock, but Lucy doesn't seem too surprised. Elodie just looks scared, from what I can only assume is because a marked criminal who had just attacked us is now crying freely in front of us while he says the name of a girl who is no longer existing. "But you? Don't know you."

He stares at me, his jaw slacked open. He closes it, adjusts his position, and wipes his tears from his face in frustration. "Fuck man. This ain't funny."

"I'm not laughin'." I take a breath. "I came here, lost my memories, and now I'm someone else."

He opens his mouth. Then he closes it. He has something he wants to say. "You were my best friend," I almost don't hear the words. They take me off guard. Something lurches in my stomach, and I feel my own eyes water.

Every ounce of me wants to run to him, to hug him. I hold them back. I don't understand the sudden wave of emotions. And I'm scared.

"I don't know you," I repeat in a whisper.

"I can tell you what happened. Fill in the blanks," He insists.

"We have a place nearby," Lucy pipes up. Elodie gives her a look, but Lucy chooses to ignore her. The pretty blonde nods.

We don't talk on the way home. He keeps stealing glances at me, but I don't allow myself to look at him. Not until we're sitting on the couch in my living room. He stands, unable to stop himself from pacing, while Lucy and Elodie sit on either side of me.

"Kallen." He says the word like he can't figure out the puzzle. I realize he's having trouble getting used to saying the word. "Okay...I'm not sure where to start, y'know?" He lets out a nervous chuckle. "I'm Lux. Lux Zepeda. It's not my real name, but y'know. Satellite. None of us have names. Some of us get lucky in remember, but not...I guess that's not important." He waves his hands in the air. "We were in a gang. Somethin' called the Arsenics."

That name rings a bell. My dreams...

"You, me, and two other people. Not that you remember them, I guess." He swipes a hand through his hair. "One day, Public Maintenance ambushed us. One of our members, I was the only one of us who wasn't a psychic-"

"There was more?" I sit up in my seat.

"Well, yeah," Lux almost seems surprised. "One of them was your brother, and the other taught you everythin' you know. Or used to know. I don't know how amnesia works."

"Oh?" Lucy sounds intrigued.

"But I'm not finished. Public Maintenance came-"

"Someone was shot," I remember my dream. I remember how vivid it felt.

"...yeah," Lux sounds as if he lets out a sigh of relief. As if I confirmed I was the girl he thought I was. "Your brother. Our leader and I turned ourselves in."

"...why?"

"Why?" He seems genuinely bewildered by the question. "So you and him could get out."

"Where is he?" I can't help but ask.

"Not sure about your brother. The two of you never separated. As for our leader..." Lux hesitates. "Maybe the Satellite. Maybe the Detention Center. It's...been a while. I was given a lighter sentence. Y'know, not being a gang leader and all. I haven't seen him since. I designed my mark." He sets a finger on the mark and pulls down, creating a funny outline with his eye.

"You were arrested...for what?" Elodie frowns.

"Beats me. Being in a gang, I think," Lux shrugs. "Public Maintenance never really gave us an answer. Trust me, we tried. I think Dai- our leader got a tougher sentence just for _mouthin' off_, or whatever bullshit they said."

Lucy is fuming beside me but keeps her mouth closed. She had some choice words about the situation, I could tell.

"I don't get it," I admit. "You let me run." I look up to meet Lux's eyes. "Why?"

His gaze softens. He crouches down, his hand reaching for mine. I let him, despite Elodie's disapproving gaze. He squeezes my hand.

"It's really easy," His voice comes out as a chuckle. "See. You're the most important thin' we had. You were our Tomorrow Girl." His smile widens.

I close my eyes, my emotions overwhelmed. I feel like I discovered a long lost brother. When I open my eyes, I look at his scalp. A memory washes over me, incomplete, but I reach my hand out anyway. Lux lets me touch his hair.

"You have a burn mark there," I whisper.

Lux's eyes widen before he nods. "Yeah. One time we tried to use hydrogen peroxide to bleach my hair." He gazes at me as if he expects me to suddenly remember everything. But I don't.

"There's...nothing else," I tell him.

Lux swallows. Slowly, he lets go of my hand and nods. "Right." He stands back up again.

"Kallen has a few things from her past. Think you might know where they came from?" Lucy interjects. I shoot her a thankful look. Lux brightens.

"Sure!" He looks happy. "Whaddya got?"

"This," I take my pentacles necklace from under my shirt and show it to him. "I woke up with this. What is it?"

"Oh! That." Lux reaches for it and inspects it. "Never thought I'd see this again. What did you call it...shit," He snaps his fingers. "Your Mam gave it to you. I know _that_. You called it...fuck, what did you call it? You said it was to help control your powers..."

"A stabilizer!" Lucy stood up abruptly.

"Bingo!" Lux claps his hands together. "There it is!"

"What's a stabilizer?" Elodie questions.

"A stabilizer is made to help control and conduct psychic powers. Most psychics have one somewhere." Lucy flips her ear, where she wore earrings. "It helps keep our powers in check, and so we don't go rampant. It makes sense you have a stabilizer, Kal."

"Yeah..." I twist the ring on my finger. Lux most have noticed.

"That came from Jack," Lux nods to the ring. "You and him were off somewhere and came back with a matchin' set. You never told me where you found 'em. I remember 'cause you kept laughin' about it."

"You and Jack were a thing even before you knew it." Lucy had her tongue between her teeth.

"Shut up," I hiss.

"Oh, you wanna talk about that? Those two were in opposite gangs, and they treated themselves like Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers who never left each other alone." Lux was teasing me. I wrinkle my nose.

"Oh, you _HAVE_ to see this article-" Lucy reaches for her phone.

"I thought I deleted it?" Elodie tilts her head to the side.

"You think I didn't take screenshots?"

"And this one?" I change the subject by pointing to my star choker. Lux leans in to inspect it.

"Oh, that," Lux leans back. "You got that for one of your birthdays. From...yeah, I know who. Yusei."

That one word sends a shiver up my spine. Elodie jumps. I realize too late that one of the ceramic vases has shattered.

I don't know why I felt that sudden rush of anxiety. Guilt. Regret.

"I thought you knew how to control your powers?" Lux is staring at the broken vase, his hands in his pocket.

"Guess I must have forgotten that too." I don't move. I feel like I can't.

* * *

Rise stares at me, her eyes slowly blinking. I can't blame her. It was a lot of information to process in a short amount of time.

"So...you're the Director's niece. And you're friends with a criminal."

"Yep."

Her lips pursed together. She's not happy, but she's not sure how to tell me. "Kal..."

"What?" I'm automatically on the defensive.

"Are you sure this guy is telling you the truth?" The way she gazes at me, I know she's just concerned. But that feeling of anger boils up.

"_Yes_," I force myself not to snap. "I...recognize things," I answer lamely. "My cards...he knew which Arcana he was."

"Which one is he?" Rise asks after a moment of silence.

"The Chariot," I answer back. He's someone close. He's protective over me. Aggressive in the best way. "I trust him." And you should too.

"I..." Rise doesn't finish her thought. "I don't like it," She states. "I don't like any of this."

"Why?" I counter back. Rise doesn't answer. She's looking away from me. "I can have friends other than you and Elodie."

"That- that's not it!" She stands up, her face turning red, her eyes beginning to water. I turn, unable to look. I'm not sure if I'm pissed or upset. Or guilty. I can't decide. "I don't want to fight," She reaches for my hand. I let her. "I'm sorry."

"You'd like them if you gave them a chance," I finally tilt my head to look down at her. Rise pauses. She still hasn't given Lucy a chance, despite the time that's passed. "Give them a chance," I plead. "They...they mean a lot to me."

"You just met them." Rise swallows back her tears.

"I don't think so," I push a piece of Rise's blonde hair behind her ear. "I think she knew him longer. And Lucy?" I rest my fingers on Rise's cheek. Rise leans into my touch. "I feel like I've known her forever. Maybe in another life."

"You don't _know_ your life."

"No. But she makes me want to know. She helped me find out I was Godwin's niece. She's...my rock. My partner."

Rise visibly flinches, her body turning away from me. I let my hand drop.

The wall between Rise and I feels like a long road, a road I don't understand. I'm not sure where the block came from, and I'm not sure how to fix it. Or if I want to fix it.

"Let's watch a movie," Rise turns, a smile plastered to her face. "Okay?"

"...Okay," I agree. We're both ignoring what's wrong.

* * *

"You've finally found him." Jack is looking through his deck, creating a pile for cards he would use in his duel tomorrow. That's what I assume, anyhow.

"You knew him?" I raise an eyebrow towards him from my spot standing.

"Obviously. Our paths crossed."

"Right. Duel gangs." I nod as I remember Lux's conversation. "So. How did we find our rings? Lux didn't know."

Jack pauses. He sets his deck down and stands to join my side. He lifts my hand, the one holding the ring, and slowly the corner of his mouth rises in a gentle smile- even if it is small.

"We stole them," His answer is unexpected, but that's what I liked most about it.

"Yeah?" I prompt him to continue.

"A vendor was scamming nearby patrons in a district next to us. You asked if I wanted to join you in a..._chat_ with him. I said yes." I could see the ring on a chain around Jack's neck. A matching set. "When we got there, you saw the set. I saw you pocketing them once we left."

"And the vendor?"

"He wasn't scamming anyone after that." Jack let go of my hand and returned to his spot on the couch. I let out a laugh, my finger-twisting the ring on my hand.

"Convenient that they fit," I remark.

"Yours did. Mine didn't." Jack resumes sorting through his deck. No wonder he wore his on a chain. "I'm happy that you're happy."

"Yeah. I'm glad I found Lux," My thoughts wander off. "There's somethin' buggin' me. I was hopin' that you'd have an answer. Lux said you two were friends. He..." My voice leaves me. I see a white, glittering card in Jack's hand. It's not his. I know that's not his. "...Yusei." The name leaves my lips. I don't know why. Jack freezes, his hand stiff on the card. I reach forward and yank it from his hands.

The card is _gorgeous_. A white, sparkling dragon. Stardust Dragon. Level 8 Wind. 2500 ATK and 2000 DEF.

"This isn't your card." I look up at Jack, who has made his way in direct face to face from me. He reaches to grab the card back, but I pull it out of reach. "Where did you get this?" My voice is accusatory. I'm not sure why. But I'm furious.

"Does it matter?" Jack tries again, but I switch the card into my other hand. I'm not letting him take it from me.

"You _stole _it," I growl, my eyes narrowing as he takes a step back. "Admit it. Who's Yusei, Jack?"

"You know better than anyone," Jack snaps back, his purple eyes glaring straight at me. "You want to be angry at me? Fine. I didn't forget- what _you_ did to him was worse."

My stomach drops. "What do you mean?" My voice is monotone.

"Do you really believe that D-Wheel was yours?" Jack says the words. The implication is there. He doesn't need to spell it out.

"I stole Yusei's D-Wheel."

Jack doesn't answer. He seems to realize what he's said. His back turns to me, but I don't move. I can't move.

All this time, I thought it was mine. I thought I built it. I thought I was the one...

I fucking stole someone else's D-Wheel to get to Neo Domino City. God damn.

I turn on my heel and run out of the apartment. Once I'm outside, my arms crossed over my chest, and I begin to walk back to my house. I leave my D-Wheel there. I can't look at it. It's not mine. It's _not mine_.

Fuck, I stole someone's D-Wheel. I don't know what kind of person she was, but I always thought...hoped. She was good. I hoped she was good. I thought she was better than. Me.

Turns out I'm just bad. No matter who I try to be.

The rumble of a D-Wheel sound behind me. I recognize the distinct sound, and because of it, I refuse to look at him.

"Fuck off, Jack," I continue walking. He's riding beside me, matching my pace. "You'll block traffic."

"Get on." His voice is commanding, but underlying, I can hear the pleading.

"Fuck you. You've made your point."

"I'm _sorry_."

"You crossed a line."

Jack stops his D-Wheel. He gets off, throwing his helmet to the side, and rushes forward to grab my hands to stop me from walking. Despite it all, I let him. "Listen to me," He uses his free hand to tilt my chin up. I yank back but don't back away. Jack's eyes narrow, showing his irritation, but he takes a deep breath. "We've both done shitty things. I'm not that person. _You're _not that person."

"Yeah," I agree. "I'm worse than I thought."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" His hands tighten on mine. "Do you realize-" He cuts himself off, a growl escaping. "Do you want me to explain?" He sounds as if he's trying to control his tone.

"I don't think I want to know," I admit.

Jack pauses. "Let's get coffee."

I pause. He always catches me off guard. "Your treat. It's your apology."

"_Fine_." He takes the spare helmet from underneath his seat and tosses it to me. I catch it and expertly slide behind him, my arms wrapped around his waist.

Despite my anger, despite how hurt I feel, he always knows how to make me feel...better. Better. Yeah.

Jack leads the way to the coffee shop we usually frequent.

"We're sitting in the back." I'm not usually picky about seating, but after what happened-

"Why?" Jack asks, but he still leads the way to the back of the cafe for me.

"You didn't see the news?"

"Should I?"

"Well, _yeah_," My face wrinkles in disdain. "Some shitty reporter said we were dating."

"And...that matters?"

My face flushes red. I can feel it. I feel hot as I sit down in embarrassment. "It's not true," I spit out defensively.

"I can't understand why you're so bothered."

"You- I- _I'm not!_" I hold the menu in front of my face to hide from him. "Are we...okay?" I don't lower the menu.

"Yeah." Is his simple response. "Do you want to know what happened?"

"...No," I decide. "Did I do anything to you?"

"Besides leaving without a word? No."

"I left you a card."

"We're okay, Kallen. I promise."

"...is he mad?"

It takes Jack a second to realize who I'm talking about. Yusei. "Yes. Incredibly so. More so after I stole his card." I look down at my hand, where I still have Stardust Dragon. Where Jack can't see me, hidden by the menu, I slip the card into my deck.

"Why did you do it?" I ask.

"Yeager came to me one day," Jack tilts the menu down so I could finally see him. "He offered me a chance to come to Neo Domino. He said all I had to do was show Stardust Dragon to Public Maintenance, and they would escort me to Neo Domino City."

"And here you are."

"And here I am," He repeats. I set my menu down in front of me. "I have a duel tomorrow."

"I won't go."

"It starts at one. I've reserved a seat for you. If you want to bring your friends, fine. But I get you afterward."

"Maybe." A waitress brings over our order. I don't remember giving her our order. I take a sip of my coffee.


	9. Falling For the Boy

_"But I am not_

_Falling for the boy_

_I won't get caught_

_Falling for the -"_

_(Bubble Boy)_

* * *

"Look at you. Havin' a go without me?" I comment snidely as I walk out of my room. "Go figure. Months ago you barely spoke a word, but now you're cozyin' up on my couch."

"You wanna join?" Lucy gestured with one finger for me to join. Elodie laughed beside her. Elodie must have come over some time this morning before I woke up. I didn't have any unread texts from her, meaning she must have come to see Lucy. Speaking of, Lucy's legs were draped over Elodie's lap. "No need to be jealous. All you have to do is _ask nicely._"

"Pass." I continue walking to the fridge to start my daily cup of morning coffee and set water aside for my daily cup of noon coffee. "I won't touch a traitor."

"You're being dramatic, Kal," Elodie laughs beside Lucy.

"That's me. Kallen the Dramatic. We've _finally_ found my real self." I roll my eyes. My phone buzzes in my shorts pocket. I whipped it out, only to wish I hadn't.

**JACKASS: **_duel today. saved u a seat_

**KR:** _pass_

**JACKASS: **_bring the bitchy redhead idc_

**KR: **_don't wanna_

**JACKASS: **_starts at three. c u then_

**KR: **_you wish_

**JACKASS: **_indeed_

"Luce, you wanna see a duel today?" I whip my head around to look at my best friend, a slight smile on my face.

"Sure. Is it who I think it is?" Lucy peaks from behind the top of the couch with a slight eyebrow raise.

"Unbelievable. I bet you don't even know what duel it is!" Elodie huffs with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't think I care." I head back into my room but keep my door open so I can root through my clothes and hear what Elodie's preaching.

"It's a title stealing duel, Kal! At least _kind_ _of_ care!"

"Not my brand."

"So who's he dueling?" Lucy asked curiously. "If it's _so_ important." I pull out a black skirt, wedged ankle boots, and a red top. This would work nicely.

"Mukuro Enjo. You know, only the former Duel Monsters Champion? The guy who used to have Jack's title, until Jack beat him in a duel?" Elodie was talking like she was explaining something complicated to a kid.

"Wild." Was my short response. I took off my shirt, replacing it with a red top. "Fishnets or no?"

"Oh, hell no! What are we talkin' about?" A newcomer's voice could be heard. I marched out of my room, my pajama shorts still on, to glare at Lux Zepeda, who currently had only his head poking through my fire escape window. Elodie and Lucy turned to see my reaction, only to immediately both laugh their goddamn asses off.

"Lux," I spoke the one syllable with venom. Lux grinned widely, unaffected. "When we found out you were in the next complex over, I thought we agreed you wouldn't climb the fire escape to barge through my window?"

"Did we? Can't honestly remember." That spark in his eyes showed he was a lying jackass who thought himself amusing. I sigh.

"Why not the fishnets?" I'm exasperated.

"Hides your legs. Plus, it's hot, and you're hot. Listen to me for once." Lux's voice brought back a memory. My dream.

_Listen to me. No, you're going to listen to me for once in your goddamn life, all right?! It's over!_

I put my hand up to my head to block out the memory. I'm not sure what expression I have, but it's enough for Lucy to stand up and put her hand on my shoulder. I feel calm. I shake my head, brushing off the voices clanging around in my head.

"No fishnets," I decide.

"Good on you. Can I come in yet?" Lux widens his eyes like the lost puppy he is. I growl, but motion for him to climb in. He does so without hesitation.

Even the way he dresses brings back thoughts I'm not sure I have anymore. A yellow shirt stained with words written in sharpie, torn blue jeans, torn sneakers, and a vest adorned with different buttons. I know each is for some cause, some he made himself by hand. It's how he and Lucy get along so well, both are so vocal about the issues they have with the world.

There are two types of people, I think. The ones who help on the inside, like Elodie, who wants change to happen by working with the government. Then there's Lucy and Lux, who can't wait, and demand change vocally.

And then...there's me. I'm not sure where I stand. Lux told me I used to be just as vocal as him. But that girl is gone, leaving an empty shell. Me.

Lux takes the bandana around his neck and pulls it up around his mouth to sneeze. "So. What are we doin' today?"

"Lucy and Kallen are going to one of Jack's duels," Elodie gives me a pointed look.

"You should come," Lucy grins at Lux.

"That's...not a great idea, Luce," Lux seems uncomfortable. Elodie looks away. I have no real words.

"Why?" For as intelligent as she was, and politically aware, sometimes Lucy Andersen could be naive. Seriously. She knew secrets that are government level thanks to her Dads', and could scheme a plan out of being arrested with a paperclip and a leather skirt, but when it came to real-world social situations, the girl was a near idiot.

"Hm. You know, I'm just not sure!" Lux pulled on his mark, resting his middle finger there and pulling down his skin. "Here I thought nothin' was wrong with me."

"Except your brain," I knock him on the head. "If you wanna go, I'll get my concealer and we'll figure somethin' out."

"Shit, Re-, Kal, Kallen- I _said_ _Kal_, your skin's dark as a tree trunk's ass, no way there's gonna be somethin' in there for me."

"Listen here, you piece of shit, concealer's supposed to be lighter than your foundation, and I might have somethin' that'll work." I stick my tongue out at him. "Soon as you put away that personality."

"You know you're my boo, my _darling_ _delight_."

"I never want to hear those words again," I throw my hands in the air while Lux cackles from the couch.

"You know." Elodie's words rang in the air, her voice soft, almost dreamy. It was a sharp contrast to how abrasive Lux and Lucy could be. "I really didn't believe you and Lux knew each other before. You know. From Satellite." She looks between the two of us, a sweet smile casting a peaceful air throughout the house. "But hearing the two of you talk...you guys act like you've known each other most of your lives."

"Half of our lives," Lux corrects. He's rummaging around my kitchen in search of food, which he finds. An apple. "You think I'd still be here if it were most of my life? Holy hell, imagine the time wasted."

"Funny." I snatch the apple from his hands. It's easy when we're near the same height and he can't pull it out of reach.

"It's amazing the two of you found each other," Lucy is leaning against the counter. I take a bite of the apple. Lux still his bottom lip out in a pout. I toss the apple back, which he easily catches. "You've both gone from Satellite to the City, only to see one another again. It's...convenient." Lucy settles on the word.

"It's convenient they thought I was just some petty criminal and let me loose in the City. Worse criminals get sent to Satellite. Dunno if they forgot, or just plain didn't care." Lux looks down at the apple and turns it over. "Doesn't matter, does it? Some might see it as a privilege. Maybe mercy. I got lucky to be let go here and not there. But that's not it, now is it?" Lux looks up to all of us with a bitter smile. "Can't get a job. Can't walk around in public. _Can't_...If it weren't for what I've done, I wouldn't even have my house." Lux pauses. None of us have words. "At least in Satellite you've got a place to leave, some ways to get food that might not be legal, but no one cares if you steal, least of all Public Maintenance, as long as it's not from them. And..." Lux hesitates. "I had my friends. For the last few years, I've just wanted..." Lux cut himself off once more. At first, I thought he was crying, but he sniffed, his grin back on his face. It was like nothing had happened. "Can't change the past though, can we? Keep movin' on."

"We're together," I find myself saying.

"We're together." Lux reaches for my hand. I let him. He gave me a playful squeeze. "Ain't nothin' takin' you from me again. No way in hell."

"How did you get your house?" Elodie looks out the window with a slight frown.

"Ahh. Like I'd tell a government official my dirty secrets." Lux teasingly bops Elodie on the nose. She blinks in response but smiles in amusement. "All you need to worry about is that whoever purchased it, they did so the legal way. I think? Yes." Lux laughs.

"Are we going soon? I wanna get lunch before the duel. Maybe vandalism." Lucy looks at me with a giggle. She must have seen my scathing glare. "No vandalism. Just lunch!"

"Right. Come here." I go and grab my makeup bag just to bring it back out to the table. "Lux, sit."

"Yes, Master," Lux sits on the chair, his arms crossed over his chest. "Would you like me to speak next? Shake? Roll over?"

"I'll hit you." I grab my concealer, one of the ones I save for winter and begin dabbing it where Lux's mark was- right underneath his left eye. His skin was sun-kissed, _tan_, but mine was maybe a shade darker. This concealer should work. It was paler than my normal routine concealer.

"_Kinky."_

_"_I swear to the _gods_-" I jam the sponge harder than necessary against his skin. Beside me, Lucy is looking through my bag, probably to steal some eyeshadow.

"You doin' somethin' to your eyes? Maybe gold?" Lux squirms underneath my hands.

"I got gold eyes. No need to over-gold me, Midas." The name comes naturally. Lux doesn't respond. I look down, only to see he has a far-away gaze...one he only has when I say something she used to say. Lux opens his mouth, then closes it. His smile is sad.

"Sorry," He apologizes. "You're right, 'course you are. Do somethin' warm instead. Like brown."

"Sure." My voice is quiet. Lux didn't like to explain. He said he didn't want to force me to be the girl he remembered. It's how I still don't know the name of either my brother or our once leader. Unlike Jack, who accepts me as a new being different from her, Lux says he doesn't want to get his hopes up. He believes I'll remember on my own someday.

But he doesn't force it. I...don't know _what_ I would do if he did.

"All done." I set the sponge down.

"Am I beautiful?" Lux flutters his eyelashes.

"Gorgeous." Lucy has already changed into a new, unusual outfit perfectly suited for her. She tosses me the wedged ankle boots I planned on wearing, which I catch one, and let the other drop at my feet. "Do we plan on leaving any time soon?"

"Soon as our queen gets her shoes on," Lux stands and swipes a hand through his hair. "Hurry up before it's midnight and we turn back into mice. The world can't forever just for one pretty girl."

"You're not as clever as you think." I finish zipping up my boots so I can smack Lux on the chest. He pretends to be wounded.

"Be careful out there," Elodie warns us. "I'll be at work all day, and-"

"We'll be fine. How much trouble could we be?" I look to Elodie. She rubs her eyes. I laugh.

* * *

**RR: **_Come to a party with me?_

I put my phone back in my bag. I'll answer it later, I decide.

"It ended too early!" Lucy whines.

"Still, holy fuck. Did you see that, Kal? And you're tellin' me you're gonna be doin' that in a few weeks out!" Lux stares with wide eyes the entire game. It didn't occur to me that this was his first time watching a duel in an actual arena, let alone the KaibaDome. "How the hell do I get to have sex with Jack Atlas to get this VIP treatment more often?"

My face grows hot. "I-I'm _not- _ahh_, fuck you_, you know we're not like that!"

"But you want to be," Lucy sings out. I jab her in the ribs. She doesn't appear to be as injured as I hoped.

"I'm going to see if my Uncle's here," I announce. "Don't get arrested. I won't rescue you."

"Oh, don't tell us what to do, and we won't tell you to hop on Jack Atlas," Lux shoots me a wink. "Tell the pretty boy thanks for the tickets."

"And free food!" Lucy waves her tea in the air.

I flip them both off as I leave the stands and make my way down the hall, along the path Jack showed me before. Jack and Godwin had some sort of special all-exclusive watch post they liked to use to watch duels. Nice, quiet, and secretly away from the public. I only just realized I forgot to text Rise back.

**KR: **_when?_

**RR: **_tomorrow. I can pick you up! Dinner's on me_

**KR: **_sure_

**RR: **_:D_

"_There_ she is." Lex Morgan comes into view, walking directly towards me. I put my phone back into my bag. He's dressed in uniform, telling me he's currently on the clock. "I was hoping you'd come today."

"Miss me?" I tilt my head to the side curiously. "If you wanted me over for dinner, all you had to do was ask, Officer Morgan."

"Take a walk with me." He gestures with his hand to follow him. I frown. His tone, while lighthearted, was oddly serious. He begins to walk, leaving me no choice but to follow him.

"What's up?" I'm automatically concerned. Did something happen? Did something happen to Elodie?

"Call me paranoid. Something just seems..._off_." Lex walks with his hands behind his back, his chin held high, his gaze always forward. He's the picture-perfect definition of a good cop you'd find in those old textbooks.

"Off?" I echo. "I don't know what you're tryin' to say."

"With the Fortune Cup approaching, you have to keep your guard up. Things are changing. You're different." Lex drops the bombshell. He stops in the middle of the walkway, his body turning to face me. I don't move. "Elodie says you have a new company. I..._hope that_ they're good influences on you, Kallen. I hope you're trusting the right sort of people."

"Office Morgan," I don't have to think about my answer. "You don't have to worry about me." I smile. A genuine, _real_ smile. "For the first time, I feel like a person. They make me _happy_."

Lex looks at my face, maybe to see if I'm lying. I'm not. He seems to notice that as well. He nods, a smile stretching across his handsome features. He places his hand on top of my head, giving my dark hair a playful ruffle.

"I believe you," His voice is soft "If that's how you feel, I'm happy for you too. I'm happy Elodie found such good friends." He puts his hand back down at his side. "I always worried about her." His gaze turns to the windows in the hall. He and Elodie both shared this trait. When they were deep in thought, they looked outside. I want to know how it helps. "She was always shy. Never brought home friends. Until-"

"Me." I finish for him. "Until me."

"Imagine what I thought when I saw a punk like you," Lex gives me a joking grin. I can't help but chuckle with him. "You're a good kid, Kallen. Remember that."

"I'll try my best," I try to promise. I know I can't promise it. "Thanks, Lex."

Lex looks as if he's about to say something else.

_"Two figures spotted near your location. They appear to be vandalizing private property. Figures are running towards the Daimon Area. "_

Lex gives me a knowing look. I try my best to stifle a giggle but fail. "You won't catch them," I say pointedly.

"Be careful, Kallen," Lex gives me one last look, and points his finger towards me.

"Always." I salute back. Lex jogs, bent on catching those two criminals that I assume they painted over some building that meant nothing, but I know that they're long gone by now. They're both amazing at evading Public Maintenance.

My hair flies behind me as I spin on my heel and continue marching down the hall. I'm back on my previous goal- to talk to my Uncle.

Yeager- his right-hand man- walks breezily past me. His movements stop- I know, because I can't hear his footsteps. This prompts me to stop in my tracks.

"If you're looking for the Director, I'm afraid he's busy." His voice always has that layer of condescension, as if no one he talks to is ever good enough to speak to him, or clever enough.

"He can make time for his family." My tone is resolute.

"The man who runs the city- making time for a little girl." Yeager giggles. I turn, furious, but a hand grabs my wrist and starts pulling me along. I have no choice but to follow. It takes all I have not to stumble in my heels.

I see a flash of blonde. Jackass Asshole. He leads me to the garage, near his D-Wheel, where I proceed to rip my hand out of his grasp. "Did you have to do that?" I snap.

"That bastard would send you to the Detention Center, Godwin be damned." Jack crosses his arms over his chest and leans against his D-Wheel. "You're welcome for _saving_ you."

"Whatever," I glare at him. "Nice duel." It was supposed to be a compliment. It comes out sarcastic. Jack makes a noise. I push some of my hair behind my ear. "What are you doing now?" I shift from one foot to the other awkwardly.

"I have errands I need to run." Jack is being vague. That's new. I straightened, a frown evident on my face. Jack looks away.

"Errands?" I repeat mockingly. "Don't tell me you're pissed at me." Jack _always_ wants to do something after his duels.

_"_I'm not," Jack is quick to correct. "An old _friend_ is visiting. I'm trying to prepare myself."

"An old friend?" I step closer, a smirk crossing. "Thought that was me?"

"It is," Jack looks down at me. His finger moves up to play with my necklace- my pentacles one.

"Thought you just needed me?"

"Are you jealous?" Jack looks me in the eyes.

"You wish." He's not wrong.

"You wouldn't remember him."

"Then why is he coming? Why do you need to see him?"

Jack doesn't answer. I realize he won't answer. I take a step back, but Jack grabs my hand, pulling me forward. I put my arms around his shoulders, and one of his hands sneaks around my waist.

Our faces are close. If I leaned forward, I could kiss him.

"Let's do something tonight," I suggest. "After your errands."

Jack is staring at me. I don't know what he's thinking. The pressure around us _feels_...

I step back, out of his grasp. Jack lets out a growl in his throat, reaching for my hand, and I let him. His grip is strong. Maybe he thinks if he lets go, I'll run. I can't say he's entirely wrong.

"We can do something," Jack promises.

I swallow. I don't know why I want to cry. Everything in me, every word coursing through, wants me to leave. But I force it back and smile. "Sure." I nod. "Your treat."

* * *

_"Sorry, supergirl!" _Lucy laughs on the other side of the phone. _"We got caught up and we might be home late. Don't wait on us!"_

"Just don't get Lux arrested. Gods forbid he gets another mark." I lean back against the couch.

_"Hey, I heard that! I'm flattered you care, Kal." _Lux cackles.

"Whatever." I hang up, not letting either one say goodbye. Elodie's working late. Rise was on her way. I check the mirror. Black thigh-high boots, a tight skirt, and cropped lace black top. I feel great. My phone buzzes. Ike is calling. Send that shit straight to voicemail, thanks.

I make my way outside, and stop. Rise did _not_ hire a limo. She's here, decked in a shiny pink dress that shifted to white, and her natural blonde hair pulled out of her face. She's just as wide-eyed as I am. I check my phone, only to see the Director had messaged me.

**UNCLE:** _Forgive my subordinate's earlier actions. I hope this gift meets your approval. In the future, we will find time for family._

"Fuck me_," _I throw my hands in the air.

"Did you get this?" Rise is in awe of the limo.

"My Uncle did." I fling open the door and shove myself inside. Rise follows. She's beaming. This is exciting her _way_ too much.

"I feel like we're celebrities." Rise reaches for the fridge and pulls out a soda.

"You _are_ a celebrity." I roll my eyes. This felt too nice for me. To constricting. Too many strings attached.

Things have slowly shifted between Rise and I. I don't understand how. I don't enjoy the party as much as I have before. I feel dislocated, disjointed, like I don't belong.

I want to be sitting on my couch with Lux and Lucy, watching some shitty movie and laughing. Not watching Rise mingle with people I don't care about, won't care about, and don't care about me.

I used to enjoy it. Watching Rise work her magic. But I'm not some in the background anymore. I'm not her shadow.

I realize Jack has never made me feel that way. He's at the top of the world, but he's never made me feel lesser. Not that Rise does...

I don't know where these negative feelings came from. I don't know when I started liking Jack Atlas.

Fuck me, I like Jack Atlas. I have a crush on Jackass Asshole. Who am I?

I need to breathe. I step outside, my eyes closed, the fresh air blowing my hair back. It feels nice. The full moon is out, casting a natural light across the garden. My skin looks silver.

"Found you." Rise walks up beside me. Her voice, although it sounds happy, I can hear the change. Neither of us wants to address it. "What's on your mind, Kal?"

"I think I like someone," I admit. "I'm not sure how to tell them. Or if I should."

"...Who is it?" Rise is looking up at the moon. "It's Jack, isn't it?" She sounds sad.

"Yeah," I nod. "How'd you guess?"

"I know you." Rise shakes her head. "Just tell him."

"No. I can't." I take a step forward, away from Rise. She's behind me.

"...Why?" Rise doesn't move.

"I don't know if he loves me, or the girl I used to be."

"Why can't it be both?"

"Because this one's _broken_."

I say it. I admit it out loud. "This one doesn't know what's going on. This one has so much _shit_ she doesn't understand, so much anxiety, so _much_..." I trail off. I'm shaking. I take a deep breath, forcing the tears back. "Gods, who would want _me_? Who _wants_ to put up with me? He'd leave. I would."

"...I haven't." Rise's voice is so quiet, I almost don't hear her.

"You should."

"I _won't_."

"I know." I angrily wipe the tears off my face. Stupid. Stupid. _Stupid._ You're getting worked up over a guy. "I don't know who I am."

"You're whoever you want to be. You're Kallen." Rise takes a shaky breath. "You're beautiful. And you make me want to be more confident."

"That's..." I trail off. "I don't have any confidence."

"No, but you fake it really well."

"I guess I do." I look back to face Rise. She's crying. I walk up, my hand moving to wipe the tears, but I stop. "I feel like an idiot." I can't help the words that escape. Rise is watching my every move. "I'm happy. But I can't stop feeling like this." I twist my ring- one of my anxious ticks.

"I don't _want to be broken."_

Rise has no words. She reaches and hugs me. I let her. Slowly, I put my arms around her, and I forced a sob back. She pulls back, that same sad smile on her face.

"Go tell him," She rubs my arms.

"Right now?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Right now." She nods.

"That's insane."

"But that's what you want to do, right?" She looks at me with earnest eyes.

She's right. Of course she is. I take her hands in my mine, squeeze, and then. I start to run.

I'm going to tell him. For once in my life, I'll let my walls drop. I'll tell him how I feel. I'll let him get close...because that's what I want. I think that's what I want.

* * *

I made it home. I grab my D-Wheel. I don't bother changing out of my outfit, it'll be fine. I'm flying through the highway, when suddenly...I stop. I have to pull over. I can't catch my breath. It's happening too soon, too fast, too...I rip off my helmet, fling it onto my seat, and make my way to the railing of the bridge. I lean over it, dry heaving.

What the hell am I thinking? What am I doing? Do I think this will do something, fix me, matter?

I look up. I can see the Satellite perfectly from here. The moon reflects perfectly, casting me in the light, and I close my eyes to let it soak in. The road is empty. There are never people near here. It's near the sewers. No one liked getting near here at night, let alone near the Daimon Area.

I raise my hand in the air, looking at the ring. Jack liked me. Some version of me. I'm not sure which one. And that scares me.

The sound of a D-Wheel comes flying from underneath. I don't pay attention to it, not until it stops right underneath from where I am.

"Not this shit again," I look over, prepared to see what asshole I'd be fighting in heels tonight.

I see a red D-Wheel. It's not a model I've ever seen before. It almost seems...handmade? Like. Mine. Unique. He looks up at me, but I can't make out his features from underneath his helmet.

"You mind movin' along?" I narrow my eyes. "There's nothin' to see here, thanks."

He doesn't answer. I feel the tension in the air. Slowly, he removes his helmet, revealing spiky black hair adorned with gold highlights. His blue eyes- _his blue eyes-_ they're glaring up at me with more disdain than anyone's ever specifically directed towards me. And I've pissed off a lot of people.

"Did you forget about me?" Even his voice is laced with something I can't pick up.

Oh, he's in for a surprise.

I let my arms hang on the railing. "I did."

His expression. It's...strange. It's a mix of emotions. Hurt. Anger. Something else. I'm not sure.

"It's been years. You _know_ _what you did_," His voice is low.

The sewers. The sewers lead to Satellite. He knows me, and he's angry at me. Oh. _Oh._

I straighten, my eyes are wide. "Yusei?" I take a shot in the dark.

He narrows his eyes. Seems he doesn't believe my amnesia story, which hey. It's not a story. I wished it wasn't true. He says that name. I recoil. That girl sure did get around to people, didn't she? Couldn't have just kept to herself? I'm getting tired and pissed trying to tell people no, I don't know you. She might have, but this version sure didn't.

"Back up," I command. I grab my helmet, quickly strap it on, and rev up my D-Wheel. I back up, accelerating, and easily jump over the bridge. I twist in the air, maneuvering my D-Wheel so it landed near Yusei's. I fling my helmet off, letting my hair blow back in the wind, and meet Yusei's eyes.

"First things first," I stand, not allowing him to speak. "_One_." I hold my finger up. "I don't fuckin' know you. I'm not whoever the fuck you think I am. _Two_." I cut him off when he tries to speak. "I don't remember anyone. I landed here, crashed, and had somethin' fuckin' with my brain, and whoever I was in the Satellite, I can't remember her. I don't know you. _Three._ You want this D-Wheel back? Take it. But I'm the one who built this piece of shit from the ground up after I crashed."

"You remember you stole it," Yusei notes.

"I was told." I rectify. "I think that's different from remembering."

Yusei stares at me. He doesn't believe me. I can see it in his eyes. "You left without a word." Yusei gets off his D-Wheel, standing directly across from me. "You _knocked me out-_"

"With _what?"_

"I don't know, you were supposed to tell _me_."

"I don't even know how I got to the goddamn City." I threw my hands in the air. "You want to be fuckin' mad at someone? Be pissed at _her, _because I don't have any shit answers, and I don't know what the fuck happened. You did a shit job building that scrap." I point to the D-Wheel, _mine_, causing him to glance at it. "Seriously? A helmet made of foam and plastic?"

He glares back at me. "_You_ helped."

I growl. "Well, tell her she did a shit job too."

"You can stop."

"Fine! Ask me something she would know." It's come to this. This whole thing is pointless. "If I know it, I'll tell you. If not, you can get back on your D-Wheel, and get the _fuck_ out of my life."

He considers my words. "When you're looking at me like that, exactly the way _she_ used to..." Yusei lifts his head. "It's hard to believe you." His words are considerably softer.

"I don't even know your last name," I confess in a low voice. "I don't even know _mine_."

Yusei shuffles back, then forward. He's a pacer, I realize. Antsy. "What _is_ your name?" He's not looking at me.

"Kallen. Kallen Rikiya." I don't offer my hand. He doesn't offer his. It doesn't feel right.

"Yusei Fudo." He bites out the words.

"Nice." I swallow back my thoughts. "Look, I don't remember. If you want an apology, it's empty."

"I'm realizing that."

"So what do you want?"

"I _wanted_ a duel. To get back what you took. To get...I don't know," Yusei shakes his head. _"_You don't remember anyone? Crow? Martha? Yusuke?"

"Those words mean nothing to me." We're too close to each other. The air isn't tense- not anymore. It's...bitter. Melancholic. "You aren't the exception, Yusei. I don't remember _anyone_."

"...right," He takes a step back.

"Why her?" My voice rises, but I correct it. "Why not Jack? Didn't he steal from you too? So why not Jack?"

Yusei is pacing. He stops, his hands going to his sides in tight fists. "I'm angry at him. Furious. But you?" He rubs his face. "I didn't expect it from you. With Jack...it was a long time coming. I know that. You..." He looks to my star choker, the one wrapped around my neck.

"You must have been close." I put a hand to the pendant. I want to know his thoughts. Maybe he's questioning why I still have it, why I still wear it...I wish I could give him answers.

"When you say it like that...you sound like a different person." Yusei walks back to his D-Wheel, his back turned to me.

"I am." I march back to my D-Wheel, my heels clicking against the concrete. "But I have something you might want back." I take one card out of my deck, turn, and hold it in the air. I know Yusei can see the card perfectly. I see the emotions register as soon as he turns to look. His eyes widened in bewilderment, before they hardened. "You want to feel somethin', right? Feel like you're gettin' some kind of justice?" I raise my chin. "Duel me. You win, you get this back. You might not get the revenge you want on the girl you fucked you over, but..." I twist the card through my fingers.

"Funny you should mention." Yusei reaches for his deck, and without looking, pulls out a single card. I'm not surprised.

In his hands, he's holding XVII. The Star.

I smirk. "A duel it is."


	10. Speak to Me Tomorrow

_"Speak to me when darkness goes_

_Speak to me tomorrow_

_And I'll tell all, all you need to hear."_

_(Who's Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War)_

* * *

Yusei follows me as I race through the streets. I figure out that he has nothing to say when it's a silent ride. I can't imagine what's flying through his mind. He came all the way here from Satellite to get justice from the girl who took his D-Wheel and left him unconscious in his own garage- only to find out that said girl doesn't exist, making his plot for justice void. I'd sure as hell be upset.

But I'd trade him any day. Yusei at least knows where his sense of justice's at.

I pull up at my house. Yusei drives up behind me. I throw my helmet onto the seat, and hurry as fast as I could in my heels to the door.

"_Hey_," Yusei calls out right when I reached the door. I turn, my eyes narrowing. Yusei raises his vizor so our eyes can meet. He looks _pissed_.

"Chill out," I cross my arms over my chest. "This is _my house_, not the fuckin' Public Maintenance Headquarters. You don't expect me to duel in this, do you?" I gesture to my outfit- a tight skirt, revealing lace top, and thigh-high heels.

Yusei's eyes widened- like he _just now_ noticed my outfit. His cheeks flush red. "This is your house?" He looks at the small home of mine with that smooth conversation change.

"Yeah," I jam my key in the lock. "Do me a favor. Make sure no one steals my D-Wheel. The area ain't great."

"_Funny_."

Whatever. I close the door quickly behind me. The lights are off. Lucy's not home yet. Quickly, I change out of my outfit and put on my normal riding suit- the one I wear when I like to pretend I'm some hotshot duelist, but in reality, it's just a shitty street duel in the Daimon Area.

A black jacket fitted to my body, cropped to the middle of my stomach that fell over a red tank top tucked into my high-waisted black pants. Black pads- for my shoulders, elbows, and knees. Black combat boots with velcro, because laces could be a safety hazard. I tuck my pentacles necklace under my tank top and secure the corded bracelets on my wrist that Lux recently gave me- saying he borrowed them so long ago, but they were supposedly given to me by a friend.

I push my sleeves up, roll them back, and take a look at myself in the mirror. I feel like the duelist I want to be. I feel like the duelist I want _meant_ to be.

Now I was going to kick Yusei Fudo's ass in a duel.

I reach for my deck strapped to my belt and pull a card. XXI. The World. My card gives no information. I pull another card with a frown. 0. The Fool. My cards are warning me. They won't tell me _what_ or even _why_, but something _will_ happen. A new beginning, a new chapter to my story. The cards return to my deck, and I make my way towards my door.

"You look..." Yusei doesn't finish the sentence. That's what he chooses to say when I step back outside.

"_What? _What could you possibly say?" My voice is hard. Yusei looks away, his vizor lowering once more. "Listen," I start. "I'm not some big shit star like Jackass, but I'm not going easy."

"I don't want you to go easy." Yusei's tone is monotonous.

"How the fuck did you even find me?" I lean against my D-Wheel. "Jack was convinced I was dead."

Yusei hesitates. His face shifted. I'm convinced he's debating with himself. Slowly, he pulls out a folded paper out of his pocket and offers it to me. I take it from him, harsher than I intended, but it's too late to take it back. I unfold it, only to see a headline from some trashy magazine for Rise.

**_'POP IDOL RISE RIKIYA SELLS OUT SHIBUYA STADIUM'_**

"Am I supposed to be looking at something?" I turn the picture to face Yusei. "This is my best friend. Nothing in the article says shit about me." Not even the articles that say my name has my picture, just a blurred back of the head from a distance, and my new name.

"Look closer." Yusei points to the corner of the picture. I do what he says- and I look closer. There's a tanned hand in the bottom left. It's mine. I'm wondering how the ever-loving fuck Yusei knew it was mine- until I see the ring. My sigma ring. _Oh._

"That's a lot of emotion to have over seeing a ring," I give the picture back to him. Yusei crumbles the picture, effectively destroying it, and tosses it into a nearby waste bin on the sidewalk.

"It meant you were alive," Yusei stares right at me. "And you found a way out. With _my_ D-Wheel."

"You came through the sewers," I note.

"And you didn't?"

"No one knows." I look up at the sky. "I was found on the beach. They said I crashed my D-Wheel. There wasn't enough oxygen goin' to my brain, or whatever scientific bullshit they said, and that's how I lost my memories."

"There's no other way to get to Neo Domino City. You _had_ to have gone through the sewers."

"Then how did I crash?" The question leaves my lips before I can stop myself. He doesn't answer. I almost feel bad. He came looking for answers, only to receive _more_ questions without anything in return.

Sorry, Yusei. I don't know either.

"If you had told me your plan," The way Yusei stares at me makes me feel something- something I don't like. "I would have done it. I would have trusted you. I would have _listened_." The look in his eyes- they're wide, genuine. I have to take a step back, blinking.

"You know you _wouldn't_ _have_," That voice isn't mine. It comes out of nowhere, forcing its way out. I straighten. "I-I don't know where that came from," I insist. Yusei narrows his eyes.

"The _second_ you start to feel something..." Yusei trails off. "You run. You always have. You always will." Yusei pauses. I have no words. "We were supposed to be friends."

"Would you still be?" I whisper.

"We're not." Yusei clarifies. "We're not _friends_. Not unless you, _she_, I don't care who, but not until someone shows some kind of remorse for what you did to _them_. To _me._"

The silence is uncomfortable. We're staring each other down. I break first.

"Come on." I strap on my helmet. "We're wasting the night." I don't wait for Yusei before I take off. I _know_ where to go. I know I won't get in trouble.

Maybe that's the privilege of being the niece of the man who runs the city.

I can see Yusei turning his head to see the overlook of the city as we drive by. I admit I am taking the scenic route. We're not in any hurry. That's what I tell myself.

But we make it. The KaibaDome. I lead Yusei through the garage, into the main playing arena. I stop, watching as Yusei takes in his surroundings.

"I'm not looking to get into anything with Public Maintenance," Yusei's tone is hard. "I had to fight off one, _Ushio_, just to get here."

"Ushio?" The name is familiar. An Officer Ushio. I'm trying to place it.

Oh. Yeah. That would be. My fault. I was the one who told Godwin to send Ushio to Satellite.

I'm great at fucking up Yusei's life, apparently.

I take a look at the empty stadium- where in a short time, I would make my debut as a pro-duelist. "I promise you don't have to worry about this. Seriously." I nod at Yusei. "No one will be after us. 'Cept maybe Jack. But." I shrug. "He can't do a goddamn thing."

Yusei gives me that look- one that says he doesn't _really _believe me, and hey, I don't blame him. Yet, I see he's still goin' with it.

The two of us rev up our engines on the starting line. My hand is almost trembling as I fix my gloves and press the activation for Speed World II. The field shifts, glowing the track with a purple haze. I lean forward, my heart pounding against my chest.

I am here. I am ready. I'm about to prove my worth as a turbo-duelist. I will succeed.

A siren goes off. Both of us accelerate. I see Yusei shift, his D-Wheel sliding against the track. I want to tell Yusei to check his back tire to see what could be improved, or to see for myself how the brakes operate- because maybe the brake levels are too close to the handgrip which results in loss of braking power, _or_ maybe the brakes need bleeding-

_Kallen_. Focus.

I turn the corner first. That means I decide who takes the first round. My first few cards are already drawn. I don't know his deck, but he may know mine.

"I'll let you have the first turn," I decide.

"Oh, _thanks_. My turn!_"_ Yusei draws his first card. "I summon Quilbolt Hedgehog in defense mode." He lays the card down.

_Quilbolt Hedgehog is a Level 2 Earth Attribute monster with 800 ATK and 800 DEF._

A low-level monster. That's what my monitor tells me.

"I end my turn with a facedown,_" _Yusei calls out. _"_Your move."

"Really? That's it?" I'm shocked. "For all that trash, you're sure not showing."

"You're underestimating."

"You're underwhelming. Draw!" I take my first turn.

**YUSEI: 4000 LP (0 - 1 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (0 - 1 SPC)**

Perfect. This would work.

"When I have no monsters on the field, I can summon The Empress from my hand!" I lay the card down.

_The Empress is a Level 5 Earth Attribute Monster with 1900 ATK and 0 DEF._

_"So it is you,"_ Yusei murmurs. I barely catch it, but the words vibrate through my helmet. _So it is you_. Those words won't stop echoing.

"Empress, attack Quilbolt Hedgehog!" I throw my hand out. I felt more powerful than I _ever_ have. It's almost exhilarating. The Empress raised her staff, effectively destroying Yusei's card, leaving him with an empty field.

"Thanks to my card's special ability, she gains five hundred attack points every time she destroys a monster in battle!"

**THE EMPRESS: 1900 - 2400 ATK**

"I end my turn with a facedown," I lay down the card. "Make your move, Yusei. Impress me."

He's behind me, but I swear, I thought I heard a chuckle. "We'll see,_" _His voice is low. "It's my draw!"

**YUSEI: 4000 LP (1 - 2 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (1 - 2 SPC)**

"I summon Turbo Synchron to the field!"

_Turbo Synchron is a Level 1 Wind Tuner Attribute Monster with 100 ATK and 500 DEF._

"That ain't gonna do shit against my Empress, Yusei," I call out. "I came to duel, not _fuck around_."I'm not finished," Yusei flipped over his trap card. "I activate Synchro Material. During this turn, I can take any card either of us control and use it for a Synchro Summon."

"Oh, _fuck you_," I know what he's doing.

"With it, I take your Empress and combine it with Turbo Synchron!" Yusei raises his arm in the air. The Empress lets out a screech as she's flown into the air, combining with Turbo Synchron. My field is left empty. "Gathering stars weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! _Accelerate, Turbo Warrior!_"

A big chunk of red engine appears in its place. My stomach flips. I know that card. I know its effects.

_Turbo Warrior is a Level 6 Wind Attribute Monster with 2500 ATK and 1500 DEF._

"Ain't too fair stealing other people's cards," I throw the insult out.

"_Seriously?_"

"Guess we're playing this kind of game." I let my threat hang in the air. I have a plan in mind. I'm almost vibrating in my seat, I'm so excited.

"Of _all_ _the_ people_,_" Yusei was almost growling. "Turbo Warrior, her field is empty. Attack directly!"

"I use the effect of Strength in my hand. By sending it from my hand to the graveyard, I take no damage from your direct attack." I send my card to the graveyard, causing a shield to form around me. Turbo Warrior lurched forward, his fist outstretched, but he bounces harmlessly off the shield.

"I end my turn,_"_ Yusei sounds angry.

"Here I go," I murmur to myself. "Draw!"

**YUSEI: 4000 LP (2 - 3 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (2 - 3 SPC)**

This round would be it. No more kid shit. _This_ is where I make magic.

"I start by activating the speed spell in my hand- Five of Swords!" With it, when I have two-speed counters, I draw two cards but have to send one card from my hand to the graveyard. I draw with a smirk on my face. Immediately, I know which card to send to the graveyard. My combo would work. "Once per turn, when The Sun is in my graveyard while I have no monsters on my field, I can special summon it in attack mode!"

_The Sun is a Level 4 Light Attribute Monster with 1500 ATK and 1200 DEF._

"Get ready, Yusei. I'm just getting started." I hold one of my cards up. "Because when I draw this card, it can automatically be summoned, conditions be damned. Come out, The Fool!"

_The Fool is a Level 0 Wind Attribute Tuner Monster with 0 ATK and 0 DEF._

My favorite card. The tuner that would wrap everything together. "I activate The Fool's special effect. By discarding a card in my hand, I can pull a new card randomly from my deck. If it's a monster, I can summon it to the field. Are you ready?" I draw. "It's a monster!" I confirm. "Come out, The Moon!"

_The Moon is a Level 4 Light Attribute Monster with 1300 ATK and 400 DEF._

"You haven't changed," I hear Yusei say. "You're planning on bringing it out."

"Am I?" I smirk. "Because I'm. Not. Done. I activate my trap card, Ten of Swords!" The card on my field flips over. "When one of the Major Arcana is in the graveyard, I can special summon an Arcana card to the field. Come out, its other half, the Emperor!"

_The Emperor is a Level 4 Wind Attribute Monster with 1850 ATK and 0 DEF._

"But don't forget. All of those were special summoned to the field. I still have my normal summon. Come out, Queen of Cups!"

_Queen of Cups is a Level 4 Light Attribute Tuner Monster with 1300 ATK and 400 DEF._

"You were right. I _am_ summoning exactly what you think." Three of my monsters- The Fool, The Sun, and The Moon join together. "The Arcana join together to create their ultimate beast! Unless your power and wake the world! Synchro summon! _Come forth, my Arcanite Dragon!_"

My ace card, my beautiful dragon, arrives on the field with a vicious roar. She flies above her master, awaiting her chance to _crush_ Yusei's card.

_Arcanite Dragon is a Level 8 Dark Attribute Monster with 2800 ATK and 2500 DEF._

"I still have one more tuner," I feel the smirk rise. "You can count, can't you?"

"You _wouldn't_," Yusei knows what I'm about to do. He's figured it out.

"You used _my_ card. You're the one who started it."

"You started it when _you stole my D-Wheel," _He calls me that name. I flinch. "Is this how little you think of me?"

"Queen of Cups, The Emperor, go!" I raise my hand in the air. "Behold the wings guided by the great winds! Synchro Summon! Soar, _Stardust Dragon!"_

For a second, I'm blinded by the harsh glittering light. A second later, Stardust Dragon appears on my side of the field. It flies beside my Arcanite Dragon, leaving a trail of white sparks behind as he flew.

"_Hey, old friend_," Yusei's words are quiet. I'm not sure what emotion runs through me. Guilt? Regret? Vindication?

"Arcanite Dragon, take out Turbo Warrior! Turn that piece of shit to _scrap_," I swing out my hand. Arcanite Dragon follows, rearing its head back, and burning the card to rubble.

**YUSEI: 4000 - 3700 LP**

"Stardust Dragon, attack your former master! Go, direct attack!" I can't help the laugh that escapes. Yusei, who was already driving behind me, gets blasted back by his monster.

**YUSEI: 3700 - 1200 LP (3 - 1 SPC)**

"That was cold_," _Yusei says into his mic. _"Even for you."_

"Don't pretend you know me," I snap back.

"From where I am, there _is no difference_ between the two_._"

Ouch. That hurt.

"I end my turn." I have nothing else to say. Yusei draws a card silently. He's stewing. I can tell.

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (1 - 2 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (3 - 4 SPC)**

"I lay Shield Wing in defense mode, and end my turn with a facedown."

_Shield Wing is a Level 2 Wind Attribute Monster with 0 ATK and 900 DEF._

That made no sense. I'll blow through his life points this turn.

"Are you giving up?" I turn my neck to see where he is. His posture is tense, coiled, ready to strike. I realize he's far from done- far from giving up.

_"_Not by a long shot._"_

"Keep it coming. It's my draw!" I take my card.

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (2 - 3 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

"Arcanite Dragon, attack Shield Wing!"

Nothing happens. I growl in my throat.

"Thanks to my monster's special effect, my monster can't be destroyed up to twice per turn."

"So even if I attack with Stardust, nothing will happen. Fine." I lay a facedown card down. "I end my turn. Not like I can do anything else."

_"_Then I'll take my turn. Draw!_"_

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (3 - 4 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

"I lay down two facedown, and summon The Star in defense mode!"

This son of a bitch. That's _MY_ card.

_The Star is a Level 2 Light Attribute Monster with 300 ATK and 300 DEF._

"Wow, I've _never_ seen that card before," I comment with an eye roll. Despite the fact I don't remember a time when I had it, I know its effect. When it's destroyed, the owner won't take any battle damage for the rest of the turn. If I attack with my dragons, nothing will happen. I need to get rid of that card, and I'll be able to get it back with one of the trap cards in my deck. "You'll have to tell me how you got it."

"I found it laying on my desk after I woke up. No concussion, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't."

"You _could care_."

"Why? I didn't do it. I'm not gonna feel somethin' for some chick who did some shitty things."

"You _did_ it-" He starts to say that name again. I cut him off without thinking.

"_You're WRONG._ You're blamin' the wrong girl, pal," I feel myself trembling with irritation. "You gonna make your move, or you gonna keep tellin' off a dead girl?"

"I end my turn." Yusei almost snaps out.

"Cool." There's venom in my voice. "It's my draw!"

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

"Arcanite Dragon, attack The Star! Blast it away!"

"I activate my trap card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!:

Oh, not that bullshit.

"I activate my trap, Three of Swords! I negate the activation of your trap card and-"

"I activate my other trap- Joint Future! By sending one of my cards to the graveyard, I take your card and send it back to your deck."

Scrap-Iron Scarecrows blocks Arcanite Dragon's effect. But I still have one more attack.

"Good on you," I look up at to see Stardust soaring above. "Looks like I'm using your dragon once more, to destroy MY card. There's irony somewhere." I pause. Yusei doesn't respond. "Stardust Dragon, attack The Star!"

"I activate my trap, Baton of the Hero! During my opponent's turn, I select who you're battling. I redirect your attack to Shield Wing!"

And of course, Shield Wing can't be destroyed in battle. Fine.

"I end my turn with some facedown," I almost shove my cards into the trap card zone. "Fuckin' take your turn."

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (5 - 6 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 4000 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

We're flying now. I can feel my hair blowing behind me. This is the speed I wanted to feel.

"I summon to the field Junk Synchron in attack mode!" That card sends a wave of emotions through me. "And when it's summoned to the field, I can bring back a Level 2 or lower monster from the graveyard. Speed Warrior, come on out!"

_Junk Synchron is a Level 3 Dark Attribute Monster with 1300 ATK and 500 DEF._

_Speed Warrior is a Level 2 Wind Attribute Monster with 900 ATK and 400 DEF._

"Get ready, Kallen. The second act's just starting." His monsters- Junk Synchron and Shield Wing combine together. _"_Gathering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! _Show yourself, Junk Warrior!"_

Junk Warrior strikes a pose. I let out a hiss.

_Junk Warrior is a Level 5 Dark Attribute Monster with 2300 ATK and 1300 DEF._

"When Junk Warrior is summoned to the field, it gains attack points equal to all of my Level 2 or lower monsters on my field!"

He has the Star and Speed Warrior. Oh, _shit_.

**JUNK WARRIOR: 2300 - 3500 ATK**

That's enough to take out my girl. Oh, _fuck me_.

"Junk Warrior, take out Arcanite Dragon! Scrap Fist!"

Junk Warrior takes aim and successfully takes out my girl. My D-Wheel shakes, forcing me to grip my handlebars and regain control. Thankfully, it wasn't much I lost.

**KALLEN: 4000 - 3300 LP (8 - 7 SPC)**

"You finally managed to take a hit," I taunt out. "Do you feel good?" I let the question sink into the air. "I do. When Arcanite Dragon is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, Arcanite Dragon takes out all other monsters on the field!"

"I activate my trap card, Remote Revenge! I negate your dragon's effect and destroy one of your monsters. I'm taking out Stardust Dragon."

"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect! I negate your trap card by sacrificing Stardust Dragon!"

It was a no brainer. This way, I would get Stardust back by the next standby phase. My field is still empty, but I have a chance to bring it back.

"I still have one more monster. In case you _forgot_, the turn Speed Warrior is summoned, he doubles his attack points!"

**SPEED WARRIOR: 900 - 1800 ATK**

"Speed Warrior, attack directly!"

Speed Warrior races forwards and launches a kick. I lurch back. Now I'm the one behind Yusei. I see the back of his head, his helmet, the way his D-Wheel moves. I wonder if he feels the same as I do. It's exhilarating to race on the tracks, to play each move.

**KALLEN: 3300 - 1500 LP (7 - 5 SPC)**

Yusei is different than most duelists. He's _smart_. And he knows my deck. I've dueled Jack. But there's something different with Yusei. He doesn't duel with power or force, but with careful calculation. I'm more and more fascinated with every turn.

"I finally hit you."

"We're even," I confirm.

"Now you're the one watching _me_." This time, I know he's laughing.

"For now. Just you wait. It's my draw!"

**YUSEI: 1200 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 1500 LP (5 - 6 SPC)**

"And don't forget, Stardust Dragon returns to my side of the field!"

"I play my trap card, _Harmonia Mirror_," Yusei's words cause my blood to run cold. "I've been waiting for this, Kallen. With Harmonia Mirror, when a monster is special summoned to my opponent's field in a way other than a Synchro Summon, I can summon that monster to my side of the field!"

"You planned this," I realize.

"I did." I could have sworn, I think Yusei is smiling. "Soar, _Stardust Dragon!_"

Stardust Dragon returns to the field in a flurry of white light. The dragon spreads its wings, letting out a mighty roar. I can't speak to duel spirits, but...I bet Lucy would have said it was happy to be back with its rightful owner.

And my field was now empty.

"Once per duel, when The Moon is in the graveyard and I have no monsters on the field, I can summon it back to my field!" The Moon returns in attack mode. It won't be able to take down Stardust Dragon or Junk Warrior, but...

"I use my trap card, Ace of Cups!" I flip over the card. "By sacrificing half of my life points, I can summon one monster from my graveyard to the field. Come out, Arcanite Dragon!"

**KALLEN: 1500 - 750 LP**

My life points have taken a hit. They're less than Yusei's, barely there, but I had a plan.

"The Moon, destroy Speed Warrior! Go!"

The Moon launches, effectively destroying Speed Warrior.

**YUSEI: 1200 - 600 LP (7 - 6 SPC)**

We're driving beside each other. We both turn at the same time, meeting each other's gaze, and nod. He's a formidable opponent, I think.

"With Speed Warrior gone, Junk Warrior loses attack points," I remind Yusei.

**JUNK WARRIOR: 3500 ATK - 2600 ATK**

I wonder why he hasn't used Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. I see he has one last trap card that hasn't been revealed, but I have one of my own. I know this is a trap, and yet, I want to see what he has next.

"Arcanite Dragon, attack Junk Warrior!"

Arcanite Dragon rears its head back, engulfing Junk Warrior with dark flames.

**YUSEI: 600 - 400 LP**

"I activate my trap card, Counterattack Beacon!" Yusei reveals. "When my opponent destroys one of my monsters, one of my monsters gains five hundred attack points, and it battles the monster that attacked!"

**STARDUST DRAGON: 2500 - 3000 ATK**

"I use Seven of Pentacles to send one card I control to the graveyard to end the battle phase!" The Moon disappears from the field, but my life points, and Arcanite Dragon, are safe.

"Smart."

"I try." There's beeping coming from my earpiece. I tilt my head, wondering if there's a malfunction, but before I can tap any button on my D-Wheel to check, there's a voice coming through.

_"Kal." _It's Elodie. She's the genius who can figure out a way to hack into anything. "_Don't say anything, okay? Don't acknowledge me. Godwin and his team are watching you- every move. I don't know what he's planing, but he's waiting on something. Jack tried to make Godwin stop the duel, but the Director refused. Be careful, okay?"_

That's weird. Godwin is watching this duel intently, enough that Elodie felt the need to warn me. I'm dazed. I don't realize how much time has passed, but enough, since Yusei is giving me an odd look.

"I end my turn," My voice is strangely quiet as I try to process what's happening.

**YUSEI: 400 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 750 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

_"Are you fucking kidding me?" _A new voice jams its way through my headset. I groan. I _know_ that voice.

_"Jack_," Yusei is the one who speaks the word in a cool voice.

_"Kallen_," He's not even acknowledging Yusei. "_Stop this duel._"

"Why?" I question. "You said it yourself, Jack. Yusei and I- we've got a past."

"_She does, not you."_

"He wanted a duel, I gave him one."

"You'll have to wait your turn, Jack," Yusei almost looks amused. "Don't worry. We'll have our duel. But what you did doesn't compare to what _she_ did." Yusei says her name. Jack flinches at the word.

"Wait your turn," As I pass, Jack and I lock eyes. Oh, he's furious.

"I play the Speed Spell in my hands- Silver Contrails! When I have five or more speed counters, I can choose my Wind monster and increase its attack by one thousand."

**STARDUST DRAGON: 2500 - 3000 ATK**

"Stardust Dragon, attack Arcanite Dragon!"

Something happens. I can't explain it. The wind picks up, but that isn't possible. I might be a psychic, but my effects aren't _real_. I can't make cards become real. I've never been able to. I hear Yusei hiss, and even Jack lets out a yell. When Stardust goes for the attack, there's a burning sensation that sears throughout my body.

"I activate my trap card, Ten of Pentacles!" I flip the card over. "You'll love this effect. It can take the effect of any card my opponent has. I pick Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"

A copied version of Scrap-Iron Scarecrow forms in front of Stardust Dragon, just as it attacks Arcanite Dragon. There's a red glow. I let out a yell, a fling of curses flying from my lips as I fight to take control of my D-Wheel.

"_Kallen!_" Jack_ calls out._

_"_It's not me!" I call back. Right? No, I would _know_. You know these things. You can _feel_ when your powers are out of control, and I'm fine. I'm calm. I'm scared as hell, but I can breathe.

"I end my turn," Yusei sounds concerned. Me too, buddy.

**YUSEI: 400 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

**KALLEN: 750 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

"Maybe we should end the duel," Yusei suggests.

"No," I know this is the last round. "I'm finishing this. I summon to my field, the Lovers!"

_The Lovers is a Level 2 Wind Attribute Tuner Monster with 600 ATK and 300 DEF._

This feels wrong. Something's wrong. "I combine The Lovers with Arcanite Dragon! Fortune favors the brave, Yusei. This person showed me that." I close my eyes. When I open them, I feel the power_ surging_ around me. "Come out, _Wheel of Fortune!"_ A blast of chaotic energy flies through the air, in the middle my monster, the card I gave Jack all those years ago- the one that stands for him.

_Wheel of Fortune is a Level 10 Light Attribute Tuner Monster with 3400 ATK and 3400 DEF._

Jack's mouth is hanging open. The wind has picked up. I know I have to go all the way, to end this quickly. "I activate my trap card- Four of Cups! It allows me to grab any monster my opponent controls. You're not the only one who can take back their monsters. The Star, let's go!" The Star, without any hesitation, flew to my side of the field. I felt..._complete_. For the first time, I had my full deck on my side.

The power I felt, at this moment? Endless.

Yusei says that name. It's a _warning_.

I don't listen.

"Wheel of Fortune, The Star, combine to create my _ultimate card!"_

The Star represented Yusei. Wheel of Fortune represented Jack.

And I got myself in trouble I can't even begin to understand.

"There are twenty-one cards in the Major Arcana. And the one that represents completion?" I raise my hand in the air. The wind has picked up, with me in the center. I feel _powerful_. I feel like I could take on...the world. I could take on anyone on this shit planet. I could defeat _anyone_. "Come out, _The World!"_

_The World is a Level 12 Light Attribute Monster with 4500 ATK and 4500 DEF._

My life, for just a _second_. Stops. There's nothing. There's no sound, no wind, no movement.

I hear myself scream. I hear Jack and Yusei. And then I regained my vision. There's a giant red dragon I had never seen before soaring above the sky.

I want to fall over. My vision turns black. It feels like two parts of me are pulling each other, trying to tear each other apart. I hear a crash. I wonder if it's Yusei, until the pain runs through my body. It's me. I crashed.

I don't register what Yusei's saying. I feel someone's arms around me, too thin to be Jack's.

"_Kallen,"_ He finally says, helping me focus. Jack is on my other side. He reaches for my hand. As soon as it connects with me, the two of them are doubled over in pain, their arms..._glowing_. Just like that night with Jack. Just like the Black Rose Witch. I'm shaking. I push Yusei away from me, while I struggle to stand, and I find myself standing in-between Jack and Yusei. The track is destroyed. I don't know if I did it, or the weird-ass dragon. The arena is dark, with no lights in sight. In fact...the whole city is dark.

"What the hell is going on?" I demand from the two of them. "What the hell was _that?_!"

"You don't know?" Yusei seems confused. His face is scrunched in pain.

"No! I don't, actually," I snap, my body tense.

"It's just like before..." Jack mutters.

"What?" Yusei questions, his voice rough. The glow fades. Yusei pushes up his sleeve, but there's nothing. No mark.

_"KALLEN, GET OUT OF THERE!" _Elodie shouts seconds before the arena is drenched in light. I shield my face, my eyes adjusting.

Holy shit...there's dozens of Public Maintenance officers, batons ready. I step back, closer to Jack and Yusei.

"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR VIOLATION OF CODE 415. SATELLITE CITIZENS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE SOIL OF NEO DOMINO CITY. STEP AWAY FROM THE GIRL AND SURRENDER QUIETLY." The officer with the megaphone demands.

Yusei. They mean Yusei. Oh, _shit_.

"He's with me!" I call out, protectively stepping in front of him. "It was all me, breakin' in, he didn't do nothin'!"

"_Kallen_," Jack puts his hand on my shoulder. I strike back, forcing his hand off. I hate how his voice sounds. I hate that tone.

"Kallen, Jack, come this way," Lex gestures for us to follow. Jack goes over without any pause, and when he reaches the invisible line and crosses, he turns, waiting for me. I shake my head.

"No," I refuse to budge. "No! He hasn't done anythin', listen to me-"

"WE ARE UNDER ORDERS FROM THE DIRECTOR. STEP AWAY FROM THE GIRL, OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO TAKE ACTION."

"Was this your plan?" Yusei rumbles from behind me. He sounds almost..._sad_. "Does hurting me make you feel good?"

"What? No, it wasn't!" I speak hastily. "I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't..." I feel the pressure around us building. It feels..._wild_. My hand reaches up to my chest, and I realize I'm not wearing my Pentacles necklace. I don't know when it came off. "Bring me Godwin!" I demand from the officers. They're not listening. I'm feeling more and more panicked. "I want my Uncle!"

I can't let Yusei get arrested. I _can't_. It would be my fault. I back up, one more, and I feel my back hit Yusei.

"What are you doing?" He whispers into my ear.

"I don't know," I admit.

"YOUR LAST WARNING."

"Kallen, _get out."_

_"OR WE WILL USE FORCE."_

_"_Just _leave me_, don't be stupid-"

"ON THE COUNT OF THREE-"

"**_NO!"_**

That _one word._ That one word unleashes all of the emotions I had built up. The arena is launched into darkness. I can hear the glass shattering, falling towards the ground. The officers are blown back. I don't have time to focus on them.

I take Yusei's hand and I. Run. I run away.

I don't know how far we get until the adrenaline wears off, and I fall to the ground. Yusei catches me. I'm coughing.

"What did you do?" Yusei steadies me, helping me lean on him. "You'll get arrested, for me."

"I won't," I know I won't. "I can't- I _won't_ let you get arrested."

"_Why_," That one-word question throws me for a loop. I don't know why. My vision darkens. Yusei swears under his breath. I'm on the ground, looking up at Yusei.

"Kallen..." He says it like a wish. "For gods' sake, you _need help_."

"_No_," I try to stand up, but my energy is gone. "You need to get out._"_

Yusei is staring down at me. He's trying to figure me out, I think. He reaches down, offering his hand, and I take it. I stagger to my feet, Yusei's arm around my waist maybe being the only thing holding me up,

"You said it yourself. You don't know me." Yusei's gaze is neutral. "Why did you do that?"

"I-I don't know," I'm sputtering. I cough again, this time I spat. It's red. Fuck me, I'm spitting blood.

"Kallen." His voice is slow. "I'm turning myself in."

I feel the wind rush through me. My eyes widen frantically. I'm not stupid, I know why. He wants to make sure I get help. "Don't you dare," I feel my eyes water. "Don't you fuckin' dare, you goddamn selfish idiot. Don't you do that to me, I can't let someone else I care about sacrifice himself for me so I can get-" I abruptly stop. Yusei is looking at me with wide eyes. I can't breathe. All I hear is Yusei's breathing, and my heart pounding in my chest.

"You remembered," Yusei's hold on me tightens.

"Why am I so scared?" Something drips out of my nose. There are spots in my vision. "Who are you, Yusei?"

Yusei considers the question. There's a beat of silence. "I _was_ your best friend," His words are soft. "You- _she_...She meant the world to me."

"Don't go," I plead. "Don't do this. Don't be a hero for _me."_

"I'll find you," Yusei promises me. "Just _w__ait for me_."

"That voice." I know it. I'd know it anywhere "I heard it before I woke up." I look up at Yusei, scared, more terrified than I've ever felt because I know what will happen next. "It _was_ _you_."

I don't remember anything else. This is where my memory stops.

* * *

My eyes open to bright light. Oh, this is all too familiar. A white hospital room, devoid of color. I'm not hooked up to anything, thank god.

My name is Kallen Rikiya. I am eighteen years old. I'm an Aquarius. My roommate is Lucy Andersen, and we live on 5-chome-28-6.

I still have my memories. Thank the gods.

"You're awake."

Someone's standing beside me. I crane my neck, just to see a tall looming figure beside me. Speak of the Devil.

"What happened?" My voice is raspy.

"You overexerted your powers. The damage you caused will cost about ten million yen to fix before the opening of the Fortune Cup." He's looking down at me with a gentle look in his eyes. I see a cup of water beside my bed and reach for it. He helps me. My Pentacles necklace is beside the water. Guess someone found it, and fixed the chain, considering it's different.

"You don't sound upset," I take a sip of water.

"I'm not. I don't agree with your actions post-duel, but you've helped unlock the start to a wonderful destiny. I'm proud of you, niece."

"What was that?" I sat up to look at my uncle. My hand classes around the chain, letting me easily pull it towards me. I start to clasp it around my neck, the familiar weight comforting. "What did I do?"

"It's simple. You helped Yusei to summon the Crimson Dragon."

"...Yusei is a Signer," I can't help but let the dread creep into my voice. Another person in my life was connected to a story I didn't want any part in. A person I directly fucked over countless times. "Was he arrested? Yusei?"

"Yes. He is currently detained in the Detention Center, where he is being carefully observed."

"...Why?"

"For his safety, and yours, Kallen." Godwin looked up at the ceiling. "Your safety is my utmost importance. After all," He looks back down at me. "Family is the most important bond one can have."

I don't answer. I meet his gaze, watching him, trying to gauge any emotion coming from him.

"Miss Rikiya?" One of the nurses knocks on the door. "You have visitors."

"I will take my leave," Godwin nods to me. "I hope to see you soon, niece."

"Yeah. Sure." I nod back. He leaves, his posture straight, the gray blob disappearing from the too-white room. Colors come in after him. Bright colors. Of course. Lucy and Lux.

"Thank the gods, you're okay!" Lucy rushes towards me and grabs my hand. "Elodie texted us, but I didn't wanna believe her until I saw the apartment was empty."

"Shit, Kal, what the hell did you do to yourself?" Lux playfully ruffles my hair.

"You have _no idea_." I don't want to think about explaining this story to them. A thought crosses my head, and my eyebrows furrowed together. "Wait. Lux, how did you get in here?" I tilt my head to the side. "People with marks ain't allowed in this hospital."

"Oh! Yeah." Lux's smile is sheepish. "About that. I got this." He holds up an ID. It's a Neo Domino City ID. I snatch it from him. Looks legit. "Elodie made it for me. Makes it easier to get around without being automatically thrown out."

"That's illegal," I give the ID back to him. "I have an idea." The plan forms in my mind. I smile. "We're gonna break into the Detention Center. I have an _old friend_ I need to see."

* * *

I'm about to be released. My body is still sore, and fuck I just want to sleep, but Rise is filling out the paperwork to let me out.

I have a plan. A solid, sturdy course of action. I'll make it up to you, Yusei. I promise.

"Look at you," A voice calls from the doorway. "You look like shit."

"Get out." I don't hesitate.

"Kallen."

"_Jack_."

"Why are you upset at me?" Jack steps closer into the room. I have my back faced to him. "I should be the one upset. You took my opportunity, _my chance to-"_

"You let your _old friend_ get arrested." I spin to face him, my eyes burning. Jack takes a step back.

"You don't even _know him_," Jack whispers incredulously. "You know _me_. You're choosing him over me."

"I'm not choosing shit, Jack. But you know what? Excuse me for trying to help someone I fucked over. Gods forbid you do the same." I back away from him, my arms crossed over my chest. Jack stares down at me, his eyes glaring into mine. I don't back down.

"What the fuck do you want me to do?" Jack's voice is low. "Beg for forgiveness? Convince Godwin to let him out? We're in this together, no matter what you think. You were there when that..._thing_ appeared."

"No. You made your choice already. So did I."

"That's not fair."

"Life's not fair, is it?" I let out a laugh, but it's empty. To think, just hours ago, I was about to confess my feelings. "Get out, Jack. I don't want to see you. Destiny be damned."

"Why did you want to duel him so badly, Kallen?"

I...don't know. I don't know. Something in me wanted to duel him. Something in me _wanted_ to win. I just knew it would be a good duel. I think that _she _wanted it more than I did.

But I have no answer for Jack Atlas. Not for him. Not for someone who fucks over a guy and helps him get arrested.

"Would you have let me get arrested too, Jack?" I redirected the question, purposefully saying his name. "'Cause that's what you do. Take, and when you're done, throw them away." I point towards the door. Jack is glaring at me. "Get _out_."

"Fine. But I want Stardust Dragon back." Jack extends his hand. "I know you still have it. I saw you use it."

"Then I'll bet you saw Yusei got it back, didn't you? You got eyes." I throw my hands in the air. "You want it back, check every dumpster at the Detention Center. Check every officer's wallet, because I'll bet one of them took it by now."

"If you weren't Godwin's niece, you would be in the cell beside him."

"Just as well, yeah?" I swallow. "At least then, I'd be sufferin' too."

The way Jack's looking at me, it makes me feel like a different person. He turns to walk out the door. I realize he has nothing left to say. He stops at the door. I almost don't hear his next words.

"What can I do?" His back is tense. The air between us feels miles apart. "To make you forgive me?"

I consider his words. "I'll forgive you," I start. "I'll forgive you when Yusei Fudo is let out of the Detention Center."

Jack doesn't move. "You still do it," His words are quiet. "Run. You run the moment you realize someone's gotten too close. And you'll never look back." He stops. I have my back turned to him. "I thought this time would be different. I thought...I thought _you_ were different. You're the one who said you were different. But it's the exact same. You'll _never_ _change_." Jack lets out a breath. "We know the real reason you're throwing this away. You're a coward, Kallen."

"And what about you?" I can't turn to look at him. I'm doing my best not to cry.

Jack thinks about his response. "I can admit when I have feelings for someone. I've always had feelings for you. You're _right_. I won't help Yusei. But you?" Jack lets out an empty chuckle. "You'll do worse to him once you remember. You'll run, toy with him, just like you did with _me."_

Then, he's gone, with no more words left to say.

I move to my nightstand, where my deck lays. I pull the top card.

Stardust Dragon.

Carefully, I shuffle the dragon back into my deck.


	11. Know Your Enemy

_"__"The insurgency will rise_

_When the blood's been sacrificed_

_Don't be blinded by the lies in your eyes_

_Silence is the enemy."_

_(American Idiot: The Musical)_

* * *

"You can't find his Signer mark. You'll keep him in the Center 'til you do." I set my coffee mug down on the table in front of me. My gold eyes lock sharply to the man sitting directly in front of me. My Uncle. Rex Godwin, the man behind Public Maintenance.

"Am I correct so far?" My words come out sharp. After all, we both know the implication I'm setting on him.

I've been at this for a week. Every day, I come to his house. We eat dinner. I piece together more and more what the fuck is happening with the Crimson Dragon, and-

And with Yusei.

Each day passes with no success in convincing the man in front of me to release this stupid boy. I'm pissing around gathering clues like the Scooby-Doo gang while he's locked up. And I'm eating fancy salmon with the richest man in the city.

Yet, I get it. I understand my Uncle's angle. I know what he's aiming for, what he's trying to accomplish. I don't agree, but I get it.

I don't know what kind of person that makes me.

"The mark has vanished from his skin. Perhaps if I hadn't seen the video surveillance myself, I would not have believed it." Godwin takes a sip of his wine. "Of course, there are eyewitness testimonies. If those are to be believed as fact."

"You'd rather have hard evidence, not spoken words," I clarify. Spoken word. He means Jack and I.

"Indeed," Godwin nods. We delve back into silence. I let out a sigh, one of my hands moving to push a piece of dark hair out of my face from where it escaped out of its ponytail. I move to pick up a fork, but set it down just as quickly, the sound vibrating throughout the room with a harsh _clang._ I wince, my body tensing, my fingers scraping the edge of the table cloth as I anxiously try to form my thoughts.

"There is something you wish to say," Godwin's voice is clear, commanding the room, demanding _my_ voice. "You are free to say what you must."

"You won't find anything," My own voice is direct. To the point. Godwin's expression is neutral to what I've just declared, but I know him well enough to know he's damn well interested in what I've got. "I know him. Used to know him," I correct myself out of habit. "But I know what it's like to be a Satellite rat. You can lock a rat in the cage, sure. Just don't act surprised when the rat bites the hand."

Godwin considers my words rather cooly. "My dear," the corners of his mouth tip into a smile. "I fear you underestimate me. That." He lifts up his wind glass, "Is when you bring in a bargain."

"You're going to threaten him," I know what he's getting at. Godwin doesn't respond, he merely continues sipping his wine. "That won't work," I blurt out harshly. "Whatever you're doing, let me try. He trusts me. Used to trust me," I shake my head, the words sprinting through my brain in a collision of thoughts. "He trusted me enough to save me over himself."

There's a beat of silence. For a second, I think he'll ban me, maybe confine me to my house with security guarded on the sidewalk. Maybe he'll take back his words and arrest me. Or maybe he'll keep me here.

"I assume you'll plan whatever you wish whether I allow it or not," Godwin finally speaks. I blink my eyes in surprise. "Understand this, niece. I will not help you."

I resist the urge to drop open my mouth to gape. "But you'll protect me," I'm almost giddy in response.

"Of course," He's locked his eyes with mine. "No harm will...ever come to you."

That's what I figured.

And that's _exactly _what I wanted to hear.

"But," he continues, interrupting my thoughts and causing my gaze to sharply connect once more to his. "I won't say I understand your line of action, nor your reasons."

"And I don't know why you trust me," I counter back with a smirk. "You know what I'll do. What I'm about to do."

Godwin pauses. He seemed to be thinking of his response. He's amused, I can tell by the way his lips curve into a smile. "I find myself curious about the actions you'll be partaking," He chuckles softly. "We share blood. Above all else, I wish to encourage your journey to forge your own destiny, to follow the path you stride...In the end..." He trails off, seemingly lost in thought. I frown. What the hell is he thinking?

"What?" I remark defensively. "What about it?" I demand, but Godwin refuses to answer. "Where do I end up? Where do _we _end up?" I try again.

"Exactly where we have always belonged." His cup of wine was now empty. "Exactly where we were meant to be," He finishes.

* * *

"One! More! Time!" Lucy excitedly throws her hands in the air, a grin spread wide across her face. "We go in, Kallen finds Yusei while I make find solid evidence on why he's there. If he's not safe, that's when I come in and cause _a jailbreak-"_

_"Lucy,_" My tone is a warning, but she sees right through me, of course, because she laughs right at what I'm assuming is an exasperated look I'm currently sporting.

"I don't know, man. You really think these things will get you in?" Lux holds up one of the fake Government IDs Elodie made for Lucy and I. "I mean, it's one thing to get into a normal buildin', but the Detention Center?" He shakes his head dubiously. Elodie snatches the ID out of his hand, the one I'm pretty sure is supposed to be mine.

"Way to doubt me!" Elodie pouts. "I'll have you know I worked damn hard on these, thanks."

"Kallen Godwin," Lucy comes up from behind and reads the name over Elodie's shoulder. She raises a slight eyebrow towards me.

"Figured it'd the easiest, most painless way to get in without drawin' suspicion," I shrug carelessly.

"You're really embracing the family name, aren't you?" Lucy looks amused, but there's a look in her eyes I don't like.

"Fuck off." I snatch Lucy's fake off the table with my newly painted red fingernails. "Misawa? Who the fuck is that?" I scrunch my eyebrows together as I try to figure out where she snatched the name from.

"Family friend," Lucy answers offhandedly. "More of an Uncle, really, but not by blood. He wouldn't mind if I borrowed his name." Lucy is patting herself down, making sure she has everything she needs on her. "Daichi Misawa. He's a scientist kind of engineer type deal up around Europe who's working on the theories of alternate dimensions."

"Wack." I can't say I was listening to any of that past the name. Daichi. That name strikes a cord. Somewhere deep down, I'm tied to that name. It's familiar. I know it means something. Lux is giving me that doe-eyed puppy dog bullshit, further reassuring what I already knew to be true.

"Must be nice to have immunity from Public Maintenance," Lux instead chooses to say after my scowl towards him. He says it easily, a breeze, but I know how fast his heart must be anxiously beating for me.

"Time to test it," I glance down at my phone to check my reflection on the screen. A white button-down shirt, my hair elegantly pulled back, and a black pencil skirt topped with heels. I feel like a secretary.

Lucy, on the other hand, pulls her red hair back into a bun and shoves the rest underneath a Public Maintenance hat. This completed the whole uniform, complete with that nasty yellow necktie. Courtesy, of course, but Elodie's older brother. It took too damn long trying to shrink that shitty uniform in the dryer.

"Here's where I draw the line. Duty calls," Elodie closes her laptop and starts to pack up her belongings. She hesitates, her teeth biting her lower lip. "You guys know that once you're in, I can't help you," She murmurs anxiously.

"No, we know," I nod my head in assurance. That seems to calm her down slightly, but the panic is still set in her eyes. I can feel it. She's scared for me. But I'm confident. "We're on our own," I lock eyes with Lucy, my partner in crime. She grins. That's how I know I shouldn't be worried. Not when she's by my side, helping me- helping me every step of the way.

It's just the three of us left in the house. Elodie's left. I'm calm. We're really about to do this. We look at one another, the giddiness of our plan finally sinking in as we take in the atmosphere, and we all laugh.

Lucy and I are about to break into the Detection Center to possibly free an inmate. Holy shit, this is ridiculous.

The door knocks tentatively. I jump, my senses now on high alert as we all abruptly stop, the room falling to silence. At first, I almost think it's Elodie coming back for something. But Elodie wouldn't leave anything behind.

And Elodie wouldn't hesitate to knock.

I see a flash of blonde. I tense instinctively, knowing who was letting themselves in.

"Rise, " I greet warily, knowing it wasn't a coincidence she chose _this_ moment to come by. We haven't been talking lately. For her to come over at all is odd. "What's up?" My voice is higher pitched. Fake. It's fake. I want her to leave.

She doesn't. Rise closes the door behind her, leaning against the solid wooden frame like it was the only thing in the world that could keep her standing upright. She opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. She closes it once more. I see her swallow. She's nervous. Me too.

"Jack called me," She finally speaks, her voice almost a whisper in the crowded room. She's not looking at me. She's looking at Lucy. Her mouth is in a hard line until her gaze meets mine. "Kallen-"

"Don't," I shake my head, cutting her off, as I already know exactly what she was going to say. "Just…don't," I finish poorly.

"I can't let you do this," Her voice breaks. "He's a-"

"A what?" I don't want to hear what she's about to say. Her eyes widen. "He's in there 'cause of me. This ain't another Ike, okay?" I step back, my hands gripping tightly to one of my kitchen chairs. I can feel the tension in my knuckles, but I don't see how white they are. "It's my fault," I repeat, my eyes looking up to meet hers. "And I'm gonna fix it."

"He's in there because he escaped from the Satellite, Kal," She's begging me. Despite myself, I laugh, throwing her off guard.

"So I should be in there too, yeah?" I smile bitterly. Rise's mouth drops open.

"That's not what I mean!" She raises her hands in front of her, her voice significantly getting more high pitched. "Kal, he's a _criminal-"_

_"Oof_," Luc winces.

"Right. Let's pretend everyone in the Detention Center is always, _one-hundred percent_, rightfully committed," Lucy's voice is low. Rise reacts like she had been pushed- by flinching. "This isn't _our_ decision, it's not _your_ decision, it's _Kallen's_."

"This isn't about you-" Rise whirls on Lucy, her eyes full of-

"No. She's right. It's about me. And about my past with Yusei." I take a deep breath. Everyone's eyes are on me. Lucy nods at me. Lux gives a small closed-lip smile. Rise's eyes are pleading, _begging_ me to return everything back to how they once were.

But nothing is how it once was.

"I'm goin' through with it. I can't be sorry." I look at the finger on my ring- the one that matches Jack's. All I see is a glimmer of who he is- a man who would do anything to get what he wanted, no matter who he had to trample to get to the top.

He sent Rise because he knew she would be the best option to convince me to stop.

I take off the ring, slamming it onto the table. Rise jumps. Lucy and Lux both turn their gaze sharply to mine. I allow the room to be silent. It's tense. Everyone is waiting for _me_ to speak.

"And you can tell him that," I murmur, my voice shaky. I'm not sure what I wanted to say. "I love you," I add. "And I love him. But this isn't just about me. It's about _her,_ and it's about him."

A beat pauses. Then another.

"I can't support this," Rise is almost crying. She looks at me like _I_ was the one who betrayed her.

"I have nothing else to say," I'm not standing proudly. I'm hunched over a chair, gripping on for my life. I take a breath. I allow myself to stand straight, across from Rise. The two of us stare at each other.

"I can't-" She cuts herself off to take a breath. "You're choosing _them_ over _me_."

"I'm not making you choose," I say back. "You can help too." She doesn't look convinced. I raise my head. "I'll wait for you," For once, my voice is clear, my decision concrete.

I know that look on her face. She wants to say something.

She doesn't. She turns around, her blonde hair flying behind her, and marches out of the door without another word. The door slams behind her, perfectly conveying her feelings without a spoken goodbye. The sound echoes throughout the small room, leaving a lasting impression in my mouth. It tastes bitter.

"Well!" Lucy is the one who breaks the silence. "That was fun. I'm gonna wait outside, get some fresh air. Meditate. Lemme know when you're ready to haul ass out of here." She waves as she exits, the door calmly sliding shut into place. I let out a deep sigh, my hand running through my once perfectly combed hair.

"Hey," Lux strolls up beside me and playfully bumps his hip to mine. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I hate that saying," I reply back.

"And I hate when you're upset," Lux counters. "What's up?"

"Dunno," I shrug. "Guess a lot is runnin' through my head."

"I bet." I see Lux hesitating.

"Out with it," I push him, nudging him back with my hip to his.

"Guess I'm just wondering' why you're doin' all this for a guy you just met," Lux admits. "Not that you didn't just meet him, but, y'know. It's a lot to put on the line."

"Yeah," I don't disagree with him. "I just know he's important to me. _Her_." I don't have my ring to twist. I pick at the fabric of my shirt. "He hates me."

"Hate? You?" Lux laughs out of disbelief. "Kal, you're insane. He'd never hate _you_."

"Yeah, well, he should," I move to pick the end of my skirt. "That son of a bitch saved me. What do I give back?" I chuckle only to fill the void. "I'm a toxic mess who keeps handin' him every bad thing in his life."

"Trust me, his life was shit before you came," Lux puts his hand over the top of my wrist and squeezes. "You didn't make it worse."

"But I did, yeah?" I don't pull away. I like the warmth his hand brings. "I- _she_ took away his one way out of Satellite. I got him arrested when he _should have_ ran." I pause. I feel my eyes watering. And I hate it. "I gotta do somethin' for him. I owe him. He deserves better than what he's been given. Then what I've given. And…" I wonder if I'm stupid for thinking this. "I feel somethin' when I look at him. I don't know how to explain it? But. I wanna know more." I feel my hands shake. "Is that weird?"

"No," Lux is giving me that look. I don't think I like it. "It's not weird at all," He smiles, a gesture that brightens the entirety of the dark lit room. "In fact, I think it makes _perfect_ sense."

"Lux," I surprise myself with my question. "What were we?"

I'm not asking about Lux.

"What do you think?" Lux answers with a large grin.

I reach for my deck. My hand is on the top card, but I stop myself. I pull back, not allowing myself to find out. No.

I want to learn from him.

Lux must've seen it too. "Got something or you," He takes a card out of his pocket and proudly presents it to me. "Here," He holds it out for me to take. I mockingly treat it like the most valuable prize in the world. Lux sweeps his arms out in an over dramatic bow.

"Oh, look at this ancient artifact," I read the card's description. A monster card. "Haven't seen Honest used since…how old are we?"

"Funny, like you can remember," Lux pulls a strand of my hair. "Beauty of Satellite. We get the century's sloppy thirds."

"Maybe fourths," I slid the card into my deck. "Why give me this card?"

"Good luck, maybe," Lux shrugs as he sits backward in one of the chairs. "Everyone in the Detention center- _trust me_\- we all had at least one card on us. Somethin' to give us hope, y'know, since they take your decks from you before you even get a mark."

"_Oh._"

"Ain't so bad," Lux is pretending not to be upset. "I chose that card. It was one of the first I found down on Satellite. And…" Lux scrunches his face, his body tensing, alerting me that his next words would be more serious than he could handle. "If you see…if you see our leader…" He can't find the words he wants to say. He's choking up. "Tell 'im…tell-"

"I'll tell him you said hi," I play my hand over his arm and squeeze tightly, just as he did with me. He places his hand over mine. I resist the urge to pull away.

"Yeah," He nods out of gratitude. "Thanks," He looks at me with a genuine smile. I can see in his eyes he's looking at _her_. I don't say anything. I want him to have his moment.

* * *

The first thing Lucy and I decide to do upon entrance to the Detention Center is to split up. I'm marching through the long gray hall- my heels clicking on each title as I look for my target. No one has questioned my presence, merely writing me off as someone in charge. Which I am. More than they probably realize.

There was no sign of Yusei. A surprise, really, but maybe not. I don't know him that well, I have to keep reminding myself. There's a voice telling me he needs to be saved, but he's no damsel, I'm no hero, and really, how much trouble could he get into only two weeks into the Detention Center?

There are no voices. It's just me. And I feel like shit.

My phone rings, bringing my thoughts back to reality. "It's me," I answer into the phone.

"_Kal_," Of course it's Lucy on the other end. "_You won't believe what I found."_

"Talk to me," I don't stop walking, instead choosing to stroll at a slower pace. "What'd you find in the archives?"

"_Looks like they were watching him. This dude is insane! His first day he got into an illegal duel, then he gets put in lockdown for challenging Godwin, and then-"_

"Godwin?" I'm genuinely surprised by the information. Why would my Uncle place him in lockdown?

"_Looks like they took him to med-bay. Kinda weird. They took pictures of his body_."

"They're looking for his mark," I answer the missing puzzle piece for her. I'm trying to maintain my composure. I am. Furious. "So, he's on lockdown. Where?"

"_No clue. Doesn't say. Says he was placed in Cell BX56, from there? No clue."_

"Thanks. Keep up," I hang up. I reach for my cards, swiftly drawing one. XII. The Hanged Man.

"_Yusei_," I murmur in worry. He's angry. Fuck, this is all my fault. I'm. The reason he's here. I'm the reason Godwin put him through all these hoops of bullshit. It's Me.

I hurry my pace towards what Lucy said was his former cell. I hope his cellmates have answers. That's all I need to find a new trail.

I walk past inmates who manage as a double-take as I pass. Some whistle, but most whisper their thoughts. _Who is she, she's hot, do you think she'll-_

They're not on my radar. I don't care. I don't care about them.

I found the correct cell. There's no one in there, not even a damn _trace_ that inmates used to reside inside this fucking prison. I feel the pressure rising around me. No one there. He's not there. There's a ringing in every part of my body that _I need to find him_.

And then, I snap out of it. I don't know Yusei. Why do I care so much? It's not because I owe him. It can't be just that. There's this part of my body that _aches_, that _needs _to see him, to apologize, to-

I don't know anymore if it's my own voice in my head telling me what to do.

There's no time to doubt myself. I have to keep going. "You," I command the nearest Public Maintenance Officer. He jumps, startled by my aggressiveness, right before he straightens his posture. "Kallen Godwin," I introduce myself by flashing my badge briefly. He's suddenly more attentive than before. "Where was Detainee CH15203 relocated?" I shoot off the question. His eyes narrow, his body language appearing more uncomfortable.

"Shouldn't you already know, Miss Godwin?" He seems nervous for some reason.

"Humor me," I'm not in the mood for this.

He scratches his arm. "Director Godwin requested that he be moved to lockdown, in section four-"

That's all I needed to hear. I turn on my heel and stride forward, ignoring the Officer's protests behind me. My identification card miraculously works on the doors blocking me from entering Lockdown. I have to remember to kiss Elodie later, as thanks to that beautiful, intelligent hacker brain of hers.

The doors lead a balcony overlooking what appeared to be a duel in progress. I wasn't aware they were even allowed duels in the Center.

"The left one is the trap," An officer stands tall on one side of the duel arena. His voice radiates energy, loud enough for me to hear several stories above. The opponent seems shocked. I can't make out his features.

But I recognize his scream when he's electrocuted for his lost life points. Yusei. _Yusei_. Dammit. I see the familiar outline of his jacket- the gold streaks through his hair. I was right after all. He's in trouble.

I force myself to concentrate on what was happening in front of me. Okay. Lost lifepoints mean electrocution. Officer douchebag wasn't shocked. Cameras.

_Cheater_.

My legs run in the direction I can only guess is a surveillance room. That much is obvious. There are two men inside who look at what I imagine to be an out of breath, panicked girl.

"Some inmates are trying to escape on floor two," The words babble out of my mouth. They stare at me. "What the hell are you looking at? You're lookin' at the duel, and they're using that to escape. Get the fuck out and find them!" I snap, pointing to the door. They need no more orders. They rush out while I breathe a sigh of relief.

My phone rings again as I release a gasp. "Talk," I answer.

"_Kal, Yusei's-"_

"Duelin', yeah, I see it too. I'm one step ahead." I lean closer to the controls, memorizing each button as I try to work out what the hell I can do. "What do you know?"

"_Not much, but something's not right. I can try to stop-"_

_"_No, I got it. You focus on your end, I'll hand mine." I hang up abruptly. Get rid of electricity. Knock out the cameras. I repeat the two directions to myself as I raise my had in the air, focusing my energy on knocking out the power-

Someone grabs my wrist, redirecting my attention. I yank it out forcefully while I spin to face my new adversary-

_"Kid."_

_Fuck_. Holy shit. That one word. That _one word_ sends my entire being spiraling, my vision blurring as I'm hit with a tidal wave of emotions. I blink, my movements sluggish as I step back to fully take in who had arrived.

He's not Public Maintenance like I feared. He's just a guy, maybe older than me, with long purple hair tied back, dark skin, magenta eyes, and…

A Psychic's aura.

I know him. I _know_ him. No. _She_ knows him.

"I-don't," I'm stuttering out the words. His gaze, while appearing happy, almost seems wistful.

"I know," His voice is soft. Gentle. Like he's explaining things to a kid. Like how I talk to Ruka or Rua. "I was told. It's okay." He lays a hand on my shoulder. "Kallen, is it?"

"Y-yeah." I can't look at him. "How'd you know?"

"Think you might know my cellmate," He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the cameras. "If you burst the power, all that'll happen is you'll out yourself," He explains smoothly. "You wanna cut out the power, yeah?"

"How'd you know?" He talks similar to me. Like Lux. Like Yusei. Like that dialogue of Satellite that everyone around me but Jack has.

"I taught you most of the things you know," He somehow answers the exact question I had in my head. "Used to know," He corrects himself. "I know you don't remember me-"

"You're Daichi," I finish for him. "Leader of a gang."

He swallows. It seems painful. "Right," He turns back to the controls.

"How did he end up in lockdown?" I find myself asking. I'm trying to get back into the mindset I had moments before, but seeing Daichi...her former leader...Lux's best friend...it's almost too much. No, it is too much. I'm severely overwhelmed.

"Godwin came and made a visit to all of us. Said some threatenin' things, and Yusei ended up in lockdown for it. Said he wouldn't bow to Godwin's offer," Daichi quickly explains. I'm boiling. I thought he wouldn't interfere, but I was wrong. Dead wrong. "Takasu right there, he's the chief around here. Threatened his friends, next thing Yusei challenged him to a duel. If he loses, he goes into lockdown, but his friends are safe."

"Sounds familiar," I murmur bitingly. "Always gotta play the hero. Always takin' the fall for himself." I play with the sleeve of my shirt.

"And you're always chasin' him," Daichi comments.

"Not this one. Maybe another me," I turn to look at him. "What deck is he playin' with? I thought they took everyone's."

"You're right," Daichi nods. "The inmates rounded up together and made him a deck for 'im."

"Why?" I can't help but ask. "Why for him?"

"Dunno. Give us hope, I guess. If he can do it, why can't we?" He shrugs nonchalantly.

"And you?" I look back at the cameras.

"Gave him my last card," Daichi confirmed.

That reminds me. I reach for my deck and pull out _that_ card. Lux's card. Honest, the monster card.

"Got you a new card," I offer it out to him. "Lux wanted to tell you- he said hi."

His eyes say what his words won't. He's trying not to cry. His hands tremble as he reaches out to take the card from me, his eyes disbelieving, his smile wide. "He's alive," he breathes out. He looks back at me. "You're alive. And-"

"Dunno," I finish for him before he can ask about the final member of their once gang. "Wasn't with her when she lost everythin'. Woke up as me."

Neither of us says anything. I look at the controls to the panel.

"How much time do you have?" Daichi puts the card into his shoe.

"I sent out the guards before you came," I run my fingers over the controls.

"Just enough time, then," Daichi steps closer to me, our arms just barely touching. "As soon as you do whatever you're planning, _run_. I'm taking the fall."

"No," I don't hesitate to answer.

"Yes," He shoots back just as forcefully.

"You ordered her around, but you're not ordering me," I snap.

"And you can't help him if you're locked in a cell," Daichi deflects my anger by pointing out the obvious. And it works. "What's the worst they could do to me?" He shakes his head. "Just do it."

"…fine," I respond, knowing full well I'll do whatever I need to do, regardless of him. My hands hover slightly over the panel.

And then I type. My fingers are flying at a pace I remember so vividly from vast darkness, the feeling that should be foreign so easy- like muscle memory.

I press enter. The lights go out. I feel a shove behind me, a force of magenta energy I only knew from my dreams.

"_HEY!"_ I bang against the closed door, but can't get it to open. I hear him laugh. The bastard locked himself in. "_Fuck_ you!" I shout back, pounding my fists against the door.

"_Get out_," I hear his voice so clearly. "_Run. Don't worry about me."_

I feel my body shaking. My heart is pounding. "Did you say that to me before?" I find myself asking. My dreams. I can't get my dreams out of my head.

"…_yeah_," He admits. "_And look where we are. You found me."_

I guess I did. I found almost all of them.

Maybe that's the motivation that allows me to run away from him in the opposite direction. Because now I know. I'll find him again. I'm not leaving him behind. No. He'll be okay.

I keep repeating this to myself as I hear guards rushing towards the surveillance room. I smack against someone, almost sending me spiraling to the ground, but a pair of skinny arms lock against mine, keeping me upright.

"Kal!" Lucy looks pleased to see me. "Godwin's here. I came to find you-"

"No time. Actually, maybe some time," My head is spinning as I tried to figure out what was the most important obstacle to work through.

The lights come on. Lucy and I look at each other, both gazing wide-eyed. We copy the other's movements unintentionally, hurrying to the edge of the floor to look over the railing at the duel below.

"Wait," Lucy puts a hand to her ear. It's how I notice the earpiece. "They said they found someone messing with the controls in the surv-"

"Where the fuck did you get that?" I poke just above her ear.

"Don't worry about it," Lucy gives me a wide smirk that quickly drops into a frown. "Oh." Lucy looks at me. "It was Yusei's cellmate. Yusei's talking. He's saying if he wins, his partner's let go."

"Damn him. Damn them both," I let out a hiss. "Get out," I order Lucy, who's gazing back at me, her expression unreadable to me. "I'll meet you on the outside."

"Roger," Lucy salutes her, but that look in her eyes- I know she has plans of her own. We part ways, with me stomping my way down the hall- running down the stairs to an office I've only seen in blueprints.

"You lied to me."

The words shoot out of my lips. I can't help it. I stand in the doorway to the office, my eyes tracing his back- seeing how relaxed my uncle stood as gracefully turned to face me. This angers me more. How _dare_ he act so calm.

"No, I don't believe I did," His words are cool, not a trace of regret.

"You said you wouldn't stop me," I step closer, my eyes narrowing with each step as I growled out the words.

"I said no harm would come to you," Godwin corrects. "I believe nothing more was promised."

I have no response. I know he's right. I know this is how he is. I have questions, but asking him? I know I'd get no answers.

"Why did you put him on lockdown?" I lamely ask.

"Ah," Godwin nods. I assume he figured out the root of my anger. Whatever he thinks it is. "I offered him a bargain. He refused."

"…that's it?" I expected more.

"Is that all you wished to know?" Godwin glanced at a monitor he had in his office.

"No," I reply bluntly. "But it's all you'd answer."

"Perhaps so," Godwin's eyes traveled back to mine. "It seems the duel is ending." He watched me. "I assume you have never been acquainted with Chief Takasu. Far too arrogant. If I were to assume-"

"He won't hold up his end of the deal. For the duel," I finished for him, catching on quickly.

"I'm curious about how you will act," Godwin glances at my ID badge hanging from my shirt. "You've impressed me thus far. I didn't expect you to take your name."

"It was the best option," I defend myself with a frown. "So. You won't stop me."

"No," Godwin confirmed. "Do as you wish."

"Swear on it," I demand. I don't trust him. I have reasons not to trust him.

"You have my word," Godwin glanced one more towards the cameras. I follow his gaze. And I turn. And I do what I do best.

I run.

It's not a long distance to the duel arena, and yet, I'm scared I'm too late. I see Yusei being held by the guards. Chief is screaming about lockdown. Another pair are holding Daichi.

I let myself smile. I debate using my powers to split them up. But no.

"_Stop._" My voice is commanding over the area. The guards seem shocked to see me. Takasu is confused. Daichi seems both relieved, and terrified.

I'm not looking at any of them. I'm looking at Yusei, who seems surprised. His eyes are wide, his jaw clenched. He's wondering what I'm planning. I cleared my throat.

"The detainee known as Yusei Fudo will be released. With me." I lock eyes with Chief Takasu, watching as his body flushed red. "As per terms with your own agreement," I cut him off before he could finish. "He won. Is that not right?"

"And who the hell are you to make the damn rules!?" Takes steps in my face, screaming down at me. I don't flinch.

"Kallen Godwin, niece of the Director. He already granted permission for my decision to overrule," I point my freshly painted nails to my ID badge, the _tap_ causing Takasu to flinch, and my own smile to grow.

"…_liar_," Takasu spits directly on my face. "You're a damn liar, you know that!?" He swirls, gesturing to both Yusei and Daichi. "They're never seeing the sun again, and _you?_ I have half a damn mind to lock you up myself-"

"Do it," I show no fear. This seems to make him stop. Yusei hisses, while I hear Daichi whisper her name. "You won't get far."

"You-!" Takasu raises his hand. I wait for it. I feel the energy in my hand, just enough-

"What do you think you're trying to accomplish, Chief?" Godwin steps into the room. All eyes turn off of me, and on to him. I recoil in disgust. Of course. My eyes travel the arena, locking eyes with a familiar pair of blue-green. Lucy winks. She never left. I revert my eyes back to Godwin, hoping no one looks too closely at her.

"Got eyes, Director? You got an imposter! Says she's your niece," Takasu smirks. "Just say the words, and she's gone."

"You should open your eyes. My older brother Rudger, this is his daughter," Godwin has his hands behind his back, his glare hard. Takasu shrinks. He realized what he'd done. He glances at me, Godwin, and back to me again. It hasn't fully processed, I think amusingly.

"I'm taking Yusei with me," I tell Godwin boldly. "And Daichi goes free."

"As you wish," Godwin raises an eyebrow. I hear Yusei release a breath from my left- where he's released by guards. "I'm disappointed in you," He tells Chief Takasu. "Niece," He sounds amused. "Should he be reprimanded?"

A thousand thoughts run through my mind. I feel the corners of my mouth lifting. "Yeah," I nod. "I think he needs to be reminded he's not the one in charge."

"_Kid,_" Daichi whispers. His eyes are pleading. Don't do it. Don't bring yourself to their level. I hesitate. Godwin must have sensed it. I nod to Daichi. He seems pleased by my response.

"Prepare for the releases of our inmates," Godwin orders the guards. "And allow them to feel my generosity granted by my niece- Kallen _Godwin_."

"Bye, kid," Daichi passes by me.

"I'll find you," I promise. "Wherever you are- I'll find you."

"I know. I'm counting on it. You did the right thing. Don't stoop to their level." That's the last I see him.

I want to vomit. The guards' exit, Lucy slyly holding my hand, slipping a box. I fluidly place the deck in my back pocket. I don't have to look to know it's Yusei's missing deck. The cheeky fox managed to snag it. I adore her.

It's just me, Takasu, and Godwin.

"You changed your mind," Godwin noted towards me.

"Wrong." I correct him. I glance up at Takasu. "I never did." I smile. "I want him placed in lockdown. An eye for an eye."

"A suitable agreement," Godwin confirms. Takasu is ashen-faced.

"_Suitable?" _He screeches. "How the _fuck is that_-"

"Take him," I cut him off, tired of listening. He's whisked away, to whatever hell I sent him to personally.

And yet. I don't feel a thing. I'm not sure what to think of it. But I feel. Good. I feel in control. I feel _powerful_. I wonder if this is how Godwin feels. I want more.

"I'm leaving," I tell Godwin. I turn to exit-"

"We will have dinner on Thursday."

"Sure," I wave flippantly in his direction. "Whatever." I feel his gaze on my back as I walk, a target pressingly too hot that I deliberately try to ignore.

But my thoughts are gone when I see. Him. I smile wide. He's standing out in the sunlight, his head tilting up, watching the clouds.

"Is that a free man?" I joke.

"I don't get you," He's not looking at me. "You steal from me, get me arrested, get me _out-"_

_"_Guess I'm complicated," I shrug. He chuckles.

"I'm aware," He finally looks at me with those blue eyes. He's almost smiling. "Thanks," He doesn't say it begrudgingly. He means it. "I know it was you."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow.

"The power?" He prods.

"Maybe," I don't directly answer. "Only wish I could've come sooner. You know. Stopped it."

"You never told me you were related to Godwin."

"Yeah, I didn't know myself until recently."

He seems to accept that. "Why?"

"Think I owe you," I answer honestly. "We're not even yet."

"No, we aren't," He agrees.

"If you're not too mad, I got a place for you to crash at," I anxiously kick the ground. Fuck, why am I so nervous? "It's a pretty nice couch. The best couch. I'd recommend this couch."

"Sounds like this couch would win an award."

"Or a championship," I tease back. It's. Nice? Nice. Yes. We're teasing. We're joking. And I like it. There's still tension I don't think will ever disappear. And that's my fault. But I can pretend we're okay like this. "I got you something," I pull the deck out of my backpacker before he can protest. "My friend. She got it for you."

Yusei steps forward. He carefully takes it from me, glancing through the cards. "I didn't _take_ any," I narrow my eyes. "But. I do have this," I take out Stardust Dragon. "Unless you don't want-"

He takes the card from my hand before I can finish the sentence. I suppress a laugh, but can't help the smile that comes. I see he's smiling too.

It was his turn to catch me off guard. He refiles through his cards and pulls out my missing one- the card I gave him. XVII. The Star. I grab it from him. My deck is complete. I look up at him, our faces inches apart. My face burns. His eyes widen, and he hastily steps back. We're not looking at each other.

"So. Your house." We're walking side by side. His hands are in his pocket. I pull on my sleeves.

"My house," I echo back. "We'll need to get your D-Wheel back. Unless you wanna use mine forever."

"Unlikely."

"Yeah, I figured," I shake my head.

"Got a plan?" He finally turns his head slightly to look at me.

"No," I answer honestly. "Only thought this far."

"Did you know getting me out would work?"

"No."

"Why do it?"

"Why question it?" I shoot back. "You're out. Just act like I have Godwin's immunity and let that answer everything, alright?"

"Must be nice," Yusei sounds bitter.

"It helps," I admit. "Let's get your D-Wheel back."

"You want to help?"

"I told you. We're not even."

"Fine," Yusei nods. "But we'll do it _my way_."

"Oh?" I'm curious about this. "And why your way?"

"I'd rather not get monitored every step by Godwin," Yusei slyly gestures behind him. I turn my head, noticing two men in uniform.

We were being followed.

Yusei was being followed. Maybe I'm the one being followed. There's no answer to who it is. Maybe it is both.

"Your way it is," I decide.


	12. For the Record

_"For the record, this can still go my way_

_For the record, I can keep my pride_

_All I have to do is keep us focused on the questions_

_Each one of her responses will remind me how she lied."_

_(36 Questions)_

* * *

"_SHIT, _I said I'm sorry!"

I slam the bathroom door shut. A towel is firmly wrapped around my chest, my reflection in the mirror showcasing a flushed, wide-eyed, far too skinny girl with wet black hair glued to her cheek. "I forgot you were there," I breathe against the door, my gasps swift as I try to regain my composure. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. The room feels steamed, but not from the shower. I only know because I feel my heart racing against my chest.

"…_You're _the one who invited me to stay." His voice is a grumble, calm, always _calm_, the calm to my storm. I don't know what he's thinking. I don't think I _want_ to know what he could possibly be thinking.

"…Did you see anything?" I blurt out the question against my better judgment. There's no answer. I wait, seeing if he's trying to think of a response, but-

There is none.

"N-Never mind!" I shout back. I want to slam my forehead against the mirror. "Can you just- can you turn around?"

"I don't really think that'll do much?"

"Okay. Go to Lucy's room."

"No, I'm not, it's locked?-"

"Then go out the fucking fire escape!" I decide on, the grip around my towel only tightening.

"…_what_?"

"Yeah," I nod to myself, sure of my conviction. "Near the sink, in the kitchen- there's a window. Go out there. Wait for my signal to come back in."

"How do I know you'll let me back in?"

"You fuckin' don't, but would you rather see me naked?" I snap out, my hand flying to pull the hair out of my face, only bringing forth pain as the knuckles caught in the knots I have yet to brush out. I wince, but the pain is nice. It's clarifying. Deep breaths. Yes. I will make it through this humiliation.

I'm thankful, for once, that Lucy isn't home. I don't think I would ever live this down.

"Gone?" I call out. I don't hear an answer. I peek my head out, to see no one in my living room. As I half sprint, half-tiptoe past the fire escape window, I see a spark of black and gold. My heart jumps.

I slam my bedroom door shut. I half-lean, half-fall against the frame- sliding until my bare ass hits the carpet. The towel falls from my grip. I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry.

"_Stupid_," I murmur. I force myself to stand up, throw on an oversized t-shirt, and rake a brush through my hair, leaving it stylishly slicked back - most likely just until it dries. My hand curls around the door's handle. I debate staying in my room until I rot, but that won't get Yusei's D-Wheel back from the warehouse Public Maintenance decided to toss her in.

"Warehouse CD34," I repeat the words to myself. The warehouse Elodie had found. She promised me this is where we would find it- the Yusei Go. It's directly behind the main tower for Public Maintenance.

We would get through this. We can do this. We're a team now. I owe him. I won't stop until I get rid of this owed debt- these feelings I have that _won't go away- that I'm a piece of shit._

Sunlight streams through my kitchen, reflecting colored light on the walls. I smile as I hear a loud barking laugh- Lux's, of course.

"What'd I miss?" I try to avoid Yusei's gaze without letting Lux realize something happened. Lux, my golden boy, shoots me a wide-toothed grin, his tongue just poking out in a boyish manner.

"Nothin' much, tomorrow girl," Lux holds out his hand to me, which I take in an exaggerated manner. His other arm wraps underneath my legs, pulling me to his chest as he '_helps_' me out of the window, spinning me around on the rickety fire escape. I shriek in delight, not scared to fall or be dropped. He lets me go, but my hand stays on his chest as I regain my balance. His hand is still holding my other, his laugh contagious as I laugh with him. I turn my head, seeing Yusei watching us, and feel my face flush red. I let go of Lux's hand hastily and step away, my body moving on its own accord, while I wonder why I'm so embarrassed to be affectionate with Lux with Yusei _right there._

_"So_. The plan," I quickly change the subject.

"You doin' that today?" Lux raises an eyebrow. He leans against the railing, his arms relaxed by his side, while Yusei in a similar pose has his arms crossed against his chest. He's tense, I notice. I sit on the railing, carefully positioned, my body feeling stiff. My hands curl against the railing to hold my balance.

"Yeah," Yusei nods. "I had a friend in the center. He gave me this," Yusei holds up a card. I take it from him.

"Giant Ushi Oni," I read the card name aloud. "What about it?" I offer the monster card back to Yusei.

"He said if I take it somewhere, ask for a man named Saiga, the rest would be taken care of."

"Where? What place? How much?" Lux is the one that asks. "Saiga isn't a kinda guy who comes by cheap."

"You'd know?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I'd know," Lux keeps his answer strangely vague, a flash of something I don't recognize fleeting through his handsome features.

Yusei shrugs. "Seems Saiga owes my friend a favor. The card's all I need to show for payment."

"Okay, one question answered, what about the other?" I speak up. "Where?"

Yusei takes a second to answer. "He said it was a bar called _Psycho._"

There's a pause. Lux is staring at me in amusement, while I shiver with excitement. This is _my playground_.

"What?" Yusei must have sensed our wild energy. "You know where it is?"

"I know where it is," A smirk dances on my lips. "We'll be fine. I know the area. The place is a few blocks from here."

"Kallen's walked it drunk, she'd know," Lux snorts.

Ah. He's not wrong.

"The _point_ is that I can find your guy pretty damn easy," I bite my tongue to avoid snapping out the words.

"You'll need this," Lux moves in a way that makes it look like he's holding my hand, but I feel an item slip in. I barely look at it before stuffing it in the only pocket I have available. Yusei gives me a questioning look, but I shake my head, letting him know I'll tell him later.

"Still?" I whisper out.

"Yeah," Lux nods and looks somewhere behind me. I flip my hair, casually turning so I can see out of the corner of my eye-…yeah. Yeah.

"Public Maintenance," Yusei's voice is low. They're standing in the alley, talking to each other, but watching. It stands out. There are never officers in this part of town.

"I'll get ready," I don't hesitate any longer. Without a second glance to either of them, I crawl back through my window, while Lux playfully pushes my barefoot- which I counter back by kicking his hand. There's something different in my steps as I make my way towards my room. I'm happy. Yeah. It's…it's a feeling.

I change quickly. A black denim skirt, revealing red top, and red heels. Lucy springs into my room with a large feisty grin just as I'm applying eyeliner.

"Finally hitting it?" Lucy sits on the floor beside my mirror.

"Yeah," I don't speak until I'm finished lining the wing. "Find out anything on your end?"

Lucy purses her lips. She'd gone back to find out more information on the Arcadia Movement. "No," Lucy admits. "Elodie's starting to look into it, but nothing so far. I'm kinda…" Lucy trails off, an odd trait for the normal blabbermouth girl.

"Yeah?" I prompt her to finish her sentence.

"I've been talking to people I went to the Academia with," Lucy admits. She rubs her arm. "I'm worried he's gonna do somethin'….my friend, you know,"

"Rash?" I raise an eyebrow while elbowing her arm. This causes her to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess," Lucy shakes her head as I apply red lipstick.

"Wouldn't be out of character for you," I pop my lips.

"You're right, but it's somethin' I can handle," Lucy objects. "You look hot."

"I know," I ruffle my hair, letting the waves fall naturally around my shoulders. I strap red heels to my feet. I take one last look in the mirror- the first thing I see is my pentacles necklace. I smirk at my reflection. I'm ready.

"Good luck," Lucy smiles so brightly, I feel blinded. But I love it. I love her.

"Thanks," I say, knowing I won't need it. I throw my bag over my shoulder- a change of clothes I'll need later. I run out to stuff the bag underneath my seat, my steps echoing off the steps as I hurry back into my apartment.

"-_yeah, I know. It's something. It takes time."_

_"How much?"_

_"You can't expect her to remember, man. It doesn't work like that. She's trying. Isn't that somethin'?"_

I stop at the door, my hand frozen on the doorknob. Lucy's in the kitchen too, staring wide-eyed at me.

_Are they talking about me?_ I mouth the words to the redhead.

_Yeah._ She mouths back, gesturing for me to step closer. I leave the door hanging wide open. I step carefully on the floor to avoid making noise. Lucy holds my arm once I'm close enough, her grip tight, but I find myself needing the grip on reality.

"_So. You're still mad."_

_"Furious."_

_"When are you gonna stop?"_

I hold in a breath I don't even realize I'm holding. I only realize when my lungs scream to get it together.

_"I don't know_. _I came to give my friends somethin' they deserve. We used to be the same. We used to have the same goals."_

"_Listen, man. I don't know what happened, but it's still her. It's still-" _Lux says her name.

"_Yeah. I think that's the problem_."

I can't stand it anymore. I knock back Lucy's grip to peek out the window. "Ready to go?" I interrupt the conversation, my eyes blinking to hold back what I'm feeling as I instead plaster a smirk.

Running is more than just physical movement, I think. I wonder if the other girl was the same as me.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride. I hate driving in heels," I mock salute Yusei as I step off my D-Wheel. I crack my knuckles, looking in amusement towards Yusei. "Be honored. You're the first one to drive Arcana, besides _me_."

"I'm blessed," Yusei's words are dry. "This the place?"

"No, 'course not," I snidely remark back, earning an eye roll from Yusei. I'll admit the place doesn't look like much. It's a sketchy bar on the corner of a road. The only thing that stands out is the neon lights spelling out _Psycho_, the name of the bar. The purple is striking against the yellow-orange setting dusk.

I take a single card out of my deck. Queen of Pentacles in reverse. A warning. Something will happen. Deep insecurity or someone untrustworthy will show. Good. I place the card back onto the top of my deck, allowing the Arcana to reshuffle the cards.

"We're still being followed," Yusei speaks out of the corner of his mouth. I adjust my shirt.

"I know." I reach for the item Lux gave me in my pocket, and hand it over to Yusei. "Put this against your mark. It'll stop broadcasting your signal." I look over to him, while he raises an eyebrow. I roll my eyes, but raise my own, silently asking if I was allowed to touch him. He nods. Alright. Permission granted.

I easily stroll forward, brush a piece of his hair to the side, and press the jammer against his mark on his cheek. Yusei winces. I toss the item into a compartment on my D-Wheel.

"Will that work?" Yusei nods to where I stashed it.

"Guess we gotta hope. Comin'?" I don't look back as I step ahead, right past the bouncer, who already knows me. Yusei has no choice but to follow.

It's been a while since I've stepped foot inside of Psycho. Not since…I'm not sure. Sometime after Ike and I were done. Sometime before Yusei. The lights are the same. It's a sea of color, a kaleidoscope of auras, the air a multitude of psychic energy under one roof. The tense air itself is intoxicating. I wonder why I haven't been back. I want to breathe in, take in all the colors, to touch and take and-

A hand grips my wrist. I look behind to see Yusei, his grip tight, his mouth set in a firm line. I'm grounded suddenly in a sharp reaction. The plan. Yes.

"Uncomfortable?" I murmur to Yusei as I step closer to him.

"You aren't," Yusei notices.

"It's a Psychic den," I inform him. "Stay close."

He nods. I gently pull out of his grip, my hair flying behind me as I casually stroll to the bar.

"Well, look who it be," The bartender gives me a once over look, his eyebrow raised. "Haven't seen you in a millennium, Kal."

"Tes, don't act like you missed me," I lean closer to the bar, my purr emphasizing his name in a way that makes him stand tall, and myself smirk.

"Pretty face like you? What's not to miss?" He leans in. I smile, moving slightly forward, just until he takes the bait. He closes his eyes. I swipe a bottle from behind him, a nicer bottle of whiskey, and pull back. Tes curses under his breath, but he's smiling. I feel Yusei's presence standing beside me.

"You got me," Tes pulls back, noticing Yusei for the first time. "Brought a friend?"

"Yeah," Yusei places the card on the bar. "Glass of milk."

Tes gives him a strange look. "What's the harm?" I shove myself into the conversation before eyes turn to us. "It's what he wants."

"The boys you bring in- they keep gettin' younger, and stupid." Tes shakes his head as he takes the card and moves to make Yusei's drink.

"You could get somethin'," I glance over to Yusei as I pour myself a shot. "'Stead of insitin' on makin' a statement."

Yusei gives me the side-eye. "I'm not _making a statement_."

I shrug. I down the shot with ease, careful not to smear my lipstick. Once I set the shot glass down, the rim is stained with red.

"Why do you come here?" Yusei is staring at me. I can feel his blue gaze piercing a hole through my head. I'm tempted to down another shot, but I hold myself back. I'm not here to get drunk. I haven't answered Yusei yet. I can't help but notice how he hasn't said anything else- like he's waiting for my response.

"Fun," My reply is short. "Attention. Validation." I lift up the whiskey glass in the air and raise it towards him. "That enough?"

"…_why_," He's looking at my face, trying to search for an answer. I hate that look. That look that he's seeing this other girl, and I'm not. That.

"I don't know," I feel my lips curling despite myself, letting out a humorless laugh. "Funny, huh? I don't know something." My arm drops, letting the shot glass cling to the counter with a loud _click_.

There's silence between us, the only sound being the music blaring around us, the lights shifting colors.

"…I didn't mean it like that," Yusei's voice is so soft, I almost don't catch it. But I do.

"…Yeah, I know," I answer back, not lifting my eyes to meet his own. Then, there's something warm on top of my hand. It's his. I feel the leather on his gloves, half-hazard sewed together, judging by the seams coming apart near the knuckles.

Yet. It feels nice. I place my other hand on top of his, my tanned skin with red nails a stark contrast. I look up and smile. A genuine smile that seems to catch him off guard, but he returns it, albeit a smaller version.

The moment ends when the room turns. Cold. The air is sucked out, leaving in its wake a presence I know too well. I can't breathe. I need to leave, I need to go, I need-

"I'm going outside," I hastily rip my hands away from Yusei. I don't know what I look like, but Yusei tries to say something, to grab my hand, but I'm already running outside in my tall heels. I make it as far as my D-Wheel when a hand goes on my shoulder. For a moment, I think it's Yusei, but the aura doesn't belong to him. No. This person has a tight grip on me- _this person_ forcefully turns me so I'm facing him, his other hand gripping my arm so I can't get away.

"What the fuck do you want?" I'm trying to sound tough. My insides are spinning painfully, reminding me that I am. Weak. I am weak. I will always be. Weak.

Ike raises his eyebrows, hurt sprayed across his beautiful features- like _he's the one_ who should be hurt- who should be upset by the situation that _he _caused.

"You refuse to talk to me, Kal," Ike's voice is sweet, like velvet, or honey. "Don't tell me that you blocked my number."

"I'll do whatever I damn well want," My eyes narrow, but the shakiness in my voice gives me away. "You're following me. You're fuckin' following me."

"I come here too," Ike reminds me in a hum. "I think it's a coincidence."

"I think you need to leave me alone," I try to step out of his grip, but he won't budge. "I ain't helpin' you in-"

"You've got everything all wrong, I promise. I would never do anything to hurt you, would I?" Ike is pleading with me. "Just _talk_ to me, please, you never _talk_ to me, just assume-"

"No, you need to get the _hell away from me-"_

"_Just listen_, please, I _care_ about you-"

"_Fuck_, Ike, you're a fuckin' user. That's all you do!"

"You use me too! You use anyone who gets close, Kal!"

"Yeah, I fucking know, and I'm _trying to stop_, but you need to fucking leave my life-"

"I won't. I love you. I have always, always loved you with everything I have and will ever-"

"No_, YOU FUCKING DON'T!"_

I'm screaming at this point. Yet no one's looking this way. They probably think it's just another spat between us, but I'm close to hyperventilating.

My breathing is heavy. "Last time," I hiss out. My whole body is shaking.

Ike is staring me down. "Kal, you're blowing this out of proportion. Please. Don't be dramatic. Just _listen_."

"I said, last time," I raise my free hand in the air. "_I don't need you._"

Ike lets out a bubble of disbelieving laughter. Before I can do anything, there's a hand on his shoulder, pushing Ike to the side. He's caught off guard as he stumbles, and the same gloved hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, until I'm standing directly beside him, his foot just in front of me. My Star. Against the Tower.

"Is there a problem?" Yusei's tone is light, concealing the irritation I can hear underlying.

"Kal, who is he?" Ike directs the question towards me.

"You're not talking to her," Yusei cuts in.

"It's nothin, all right?" I try to end the fight before it starts. "Just leave it alone."

"I'll walk you home." Ike steps forward to take my hand, but Yusei stretched out his arm, blocking his path towards me. Ike looks like he's going to say something else, but Yusei's staring him down, unmoving, unflinching. Ike's jaw is clench. He's losing the battle, I think he realizes. He never loses. Yet. Yusei's been in fights. He can take a punch. Right?

"I'll call you," Ike leans forward towards me, his smile closed-lipped.

"You won't," Yusei's curt reply is tense.

Yet. He's still walking away. He doesn't turn around. I feel myself shaking, my legs are unsteady as I try to walk away from Yusei. His arms slid around my waist, supporting me just as I'm about to fall forward. I'm going to vomit. I don't hear Yusei saying my name, but I know he's beside me, shaking me to gain my attention.

How did he find me? Why, why the _fuck _does he want me so badly? Why does he make me feel like trash- like _nothing- like I'm nothing without him?_

I stand straight, pushing Yusei away as I run towards the bar. I crash against the counter with my whole weight, my heel sliding against the floor as my ankle twisted sharply under the pressure. My hand flies towards the whiskey bottle, ripping open the lid, and drinking straight from the bottle. The liquid feels like fire going down my throat, but. I need it.

"_Kallen!"_ A hand rips the bottle out of my own. I struggle on my grip, grabbing the bottle. I think I'm crying. The sharp sound of glass crashing forces me to focus on my surroundings. Yusei's in front of me, both of his hands gripping my arms, speaking slow, and soft. My name, over and over. Telling me to breathe. There's glass on the ground, the whiskey bottle is broken, the contents spilled on the ground. The liquid appears red under the neon lights of the bar.

It's ironic. For once, my powers didn't break anything. I think I've lost control in a new way. And I don't like it.

No one's stopped to look at us. No one's acknowledging us. I lean forward, my forehead against Yusei's shirt. Yusei gently pulls me back, his forehead close to mine, and gently brushes the tears underneath my cheek.

"Let's go," His words are gentle. They're different from the boy who accused me of ruining his life. They're more similar to the boy who turned himself into Public Maintenance, just to help me.

I have no words. I nod, allowing him to grip my hand and lead me out of the bar. He doesn't ask what happened. I'm glad for that.

"Did you find what you needed?" I hug my arms to my body.

"No," His jaw clenches.

"We'll figure somethin' out," I murmur.

"Yeah," He nods. Our steps are slow as we make our way to our D-Wheels.

Yusei's just. Gone. In a second.

Some piece of shit up and snatches him. Throws him across his fucking D-Wheel and takes off.

"Son _of a bitch_," I snap into the air as I throw myself over my D-Wheel and take off, hoping to the gods I can catch up with them. The bastard tries throwing me off his tail, but I speed up, moving pace to pace with him. If I felt tipsy by the alcohol I drank, it's gone the minute I see Yusei being kidnapped by this pile of shit. Or it hasn't kicked in yet. Whichever.

"Who the fuck are you?" I shout at him, my hair flying in the wind. I hadn't had time to put on my helmet.

"Last time I checked, I had business with him," The man bit back at me.

"We're a team. You deal with him, you deal with me!" I'm not giving up. I glare at him. I see his eyes narrow, showing defeat, showing I'm the one who has won this time.

* * *

"You know my friend," I say after a beat of silence. We're all standing in the man's apartment, or what I assume is his apartment. If he didn't steal it. "Lux."

"We've had business together," Saiga dismisses me almost immediately.

"Who are you?" Yusei stands near the window, glancing every so often out.

Saiga shrugs. "Jack of all trades, you could say. Before we start- you should know, fees paid. Himuro asked me to hold on to his money before he got sent to the center. What do you want?"

"We're sneaking into the Public Maintenance warehouse," Yusei spoke bluntly. "My D-Wheel is in there."

"Warehouse CD34," I added almost as an afterthought.

Saiga stares at us, wide-eyed. "What the hell makes you think you can get in?"

I'm the one who reacts. I step forward, slamming my ID down on his desk. He takes it, eyeing it, and carefully sets it down. He begins typing quickly onto his keypad- at a speed I had only previously seen from Elodie. Yusei begins to wander around the room, while I take a seat on top of Saiga's desk, right next to the computer. Saiga takes another look at my fake ID before he turns back to his computer and seems to print out one of his own.

"Taro Daimon," I read out the name tag.

"Seems your D-Wheel is on the top floor of the vault," Saiga obtains the information with ease. "I'm searching for the password for the lock on the door."

"You used to be a duelist?" Yusei is standing near a table, a picture frame in his hands. Saiga whirls in his chair, his glare aimed sorely on Yusei.

"Who the fuck told you to touch what you don't own?" Saiga growls out.

"Looks like you specialized in tag duels," Yusei noted.

Saiga turns back to the computer. "I wasn't officially pro," His voice is low. "Just a broken duelist in an exhibition league. That's all. Fuck off and get over here. I got the password."

* * *

I must have fallen asleep at some point. I'm laying on the couch, something warm covering my body. I pull it closer, and smell a distinct scent of…what is it? I know it.

I peak open my eyes and see that Yusei's jacket is draped over me.

"_...deserve a second chance."_ That's Yusei's voice talking. He's speaking to Saiga.

"Yeah? You think?"

"Yeah. I had a friend do something similar."

"Doing this for your friends…seems like all friends are good for letting you down. I used to have a friend too. The only thing he left behind was the emotionless reality and demo despair and living death. That bond with your friends. It's a fucking act. Before long, all you'll do is think of yourself. You'll end up hurt and use others to survive. Just like me. Just like your friend."

I hold my breath. That's how Yusei thinks of me.

"No," Yusei answers. "People can change. I thought that way too, about her. Talk to him. He might see what happened differently."

"Talk to him?" Saiga chuckles. "The lucky one survived, Yusei. He never rode a D-Wheel again. It's the same as being dead. That card- that card you saw? After the accident, he sent me that card. He was insinuating I left him. It's better not to make friends in the first place. That friend of yours- if you could do it all over, stop it before it started, would you?"

"No," Yusei's answer shocks everyone in the room, myself included. "I wouldn't."

* * *

The sun is just starting to rise when I wake up. I open my eyes slowly, blinking, as I take in my surroundings. Yusei's jacket is still over me. I look around, not seeing him, but hear soft snoring. I look down. Yusei's sleeping on the floor right beside the couch. I smile and resist any urge to reach out to touch what looked to be soft raven hair.

"What's your angle?" A voice disrupts the peace I feel. I look up to lock eyes with Saiga. He's staring at me, his features neutral, while I'm aware he's trying to read me. I'm glad I didn't do anything stupid.

"Can't say I understand what you're sayin'," I reply vaguely. His eyes narrow, his lips crossing down in irritation.

"Cut the shit," Saiga raises his chin. "You're the friend. The one who fucked up Yusei."

I pause. "Yeah," I admit. "I owe him," I answer seriously this time. "I did somethin' bad to him, somethin' I can't remember." Saiga's looking at me and I know he doesn't believe me. I pull back my hair, revealing a scar along my temple. Saiga moves closer, inspecting it before his eyebrows raise. He believes me now. "I was legally dead for three minutes," My lips curl in a humorless smile. "You can act like you care all you want, but I'm in this for Yusei. I ain't doin' anythin' to hurt him, and I reckon you'd feel the same about that friend of yours if you got the chance to help him out again."

"You don't know a damn thing," Saiga shakes his head. His voice is hard, but I hear the defeat drifting through his tone.

"Yeah, maybe. Neither of us deserves friendship. I know that." I stand up. "But I'm tryin' to fix things. That's different. Yusei!" I playfully kick him in the arm before Saiga can respond. "Wake up. We're gettin' out."

"You're sending him straight back to the center," Saiga leaned against his desk.

"I'm not." At this point, I reach for my bag I had behind the couch. The same one I had stored in my D-Wheel. "Yusei," I toss, my bag to him. Yusei looks inside, his eyes expressing pure confusion.

"We're trading clothes," I say before he can process what I'm saying. "You take my riding suit, I take yours, and I'll get back your D-Wheel." I hold up my hand, cutting off whatever Yusei was about to say. "Shut up. We're almost the same height, same black hair, same shade of dark. And I got immunity," I reach for my ID on Saiga's desk, taking Yusei's fake with it, and toss my card to Yusei, who mutely catches it. "Do you trust me?" I ask with a small smile.

"…why?" Yusei looks down at the ID before looking back at me.

"Don't fight and let me do this," I beg him. He's conflicted. I can tell. He doesn't want me to do this. Not for him. Not when I can run. "Here," I reach for the bag and hand him my deck- personally, my deck straight into his hands. "Insurance. I won't run off and leave with your D-Wheel. And you'll have the Arcana…I won't run." I promise him. I promise myself. I will not run away. _I will not run away_.

And. He nods. "Okay," He takes the bag and goes into the bathroom to change. Saiga lets out a whistle.

"Impressive," He nods in satisfaction. "You thought it all out."

"I'm not letting him go down again," I turn to meet Saiga's eye. "If it means cheatin' what I have, I'll do it."

Saiga doesn't seem to have the words for that. I'm thankful when Yusei steps out, donned in my black attire. He hands me his outfit, and I step in to quickly change. A black shirt, dark pants that just slightly loose, boots that I take spare laces from my packet to strap to my shins, and brown gloves that I will have to make do. I take a flash drive out of my denim skirt and put it in Yusei's coat pocket for later. It's a weird combination. Yusei's deck is attached to his belt, ready for use, but I know I won't have to use it.

"How do I look?" I step out of the bathroom. Yusei is looking at me. For once, I feel like he's looking at _me_.

_"Good," _He confirms.

"One last thing," I hand him my hair tie. Yusei takes it from me, the hair tie going in his mouth as he uses both hands to hold back his hair. It's a different look, but one that strikes a chord in me. I see the same image, but with him hunched over a gray D-Wheel. I blink, the memory fading just as quickly as it came.

"Kallen?" Yusei looks at me in slight worry.

"Yeah," I shake my head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. I'm okay. I'm okay." I repeat the last sentence, not for his sake, but my own.

* * *

Yusei is pushing my D-Wheel towards the entrance. He mounts it, setting my helmet on top. The helmet completely covers the gold in his hair. From my angle, he really could pass for me. The only differences are the slight height difference, and the fact I was a different body type. But it's enough.

"No turning back," I tell Yusei.

"I don't plan on it."

"I'll get it back," I swear on it. "Yusei?"

"Yes?"

"Will we be okay after this?"

Yusei pauses. "You don't owe me anything, Kallen. If that's what this is about, forget it."

"That's not what I'm asking," I already know I owe him too much. "Will we be okay?"

"Yes," Yusei responds after a slight hesitation. I nod. That answer's enough for me to keep going. I step forward, my head down as I look for the door. Yusei's ID slides easily, unlocking the door, and allowing me access. I hurry towards the upper portion of the warehouse, looking at each tag description, finding the exact date that the Yusei Go was taken, and the exact description. It's easier than I thought it'd be. Guess they aren't collecting too many D-Wheel's in one day.

"Gotcha," I smirk. Just as I step towards the crate, a D-Wheel comes flying towards me. I duck down, sliding behind the crate, and heave myself up. The D-Wheel isn't tied down. I mount it, sliding in Yusei's deck into the holder, and start it up. His helmet's just sitting on the seat. I throw it over my head, perfectly concealing my features. I close my eyes, allowing my powers to break open the box, just as I revved the engine and took off.

"_NO YOU DON'T!"_ I recognize that irritated shrill. Officer Ushio. Of course. The one that's been riding Yusei's ass this entire time. "You're not getting away from me that easy!" I hear him trying to activate a turbo duel.

"Psych," I shove the flash drive into Yusei's D-Wheel, causing a program that canceled out Public Maintenance's forced duel mechanism. I'm glad I brought it. I initially kept it to power up Yusei's D-Wheel, but it seems it came in handy. I feel the engine shift underneath me as the power-up kicked in the boosters, and I wonder just exactly how Yusei built this D-Wheel. I remember the state of mine. A soda can as a substitute for a regulator, a hanger for a hook, and broken toy parts used for some of the gears inside. I'm excited to bring the Yusei Go into my shop for some upgrades.

I concentrate on the scenery around me. I tried to memorize the map both Saiga and Elodie had shown, but my thoughts are foggy, only settling on _GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT_. I brace myself for impact incoming ahead. Yusei's D-Wheel flew through the air for a split second before crashing to the ground. I regain my balance, yet the D-Wheel's speed decreased. I swore under my breath as I began pressing the buttons on the screen, trying to find a way to override the system. I know before I start there's no point in trying.

"There you are, Satellite rat!" Ushio caught up. I can't say anything. His D-Wheel slams against my side. "I don't know how you got through the system, but I'm taking you back to the Detention Center!"

Over my dead body, bastard. I'll tell my Uncle you're a piece of shit again, and this time, I'm making sure you won't come back to the city. Bastard.

He slams against the side of the Yusei Go again. I'm really about to crash, I think, my panic only starting to combat my rational _hey maybe I can still get out of this_.

From wherever the fuck he appeared from, Saiga on his green D-Wheel came out, slamming against the side of Ushio.

"Saiga!" I shout out, out of utter shock.

"Go!" Saiga yells back. "Second chances- that's what the two of you said, yeah? I'm starting mine!" He slammed into Ushio once more, who was screaming about Satellite punks, or whatever. "Go!"

I nod. "Thank you, Saiga." I wouldn't have made it without him. I ride out, my hand flying behind me, my powers knocking over boxes to block Ushio from following.

I'm home free.

Lights spray across the distance, blinding me. Pain. That's what I feel. It's electricity. There's Public Maintenance all around, covering me from all sides. I'm being jabbed. Shocked.

And then I hear it. A gunshot.

That one sound.

That one sound paralyzes me.

I can't move. I let out a scream I don't recognize as my own. Everyone's gone. The wind is vicious around me, blowing me, knocking me to the ground. Or did I fall?

I. I don't know. I can't breathe. I can't see. There's no sound, no noise escaping my lips. There's nothing. Nothing but a single gold aura, so close to mine, that I can see, but it's out of reach. He's bleeding. I'm bleeding.

_I can't breathe._

"Hey, hey, _hey_," There are arms around me, holding me, just like the last time I crashed. "_Kallen_. You're bleeding."

"Guns," I blabber out. Just like my dream. It ended with me running. And a gunshot. That gunshot I can never escape. "Someone. Someone was shot. Yusuke." My eyes are wide. "Yusuke. Is Yusuke okay?"

Yusei is staring at me with wide eyes with a face I don't recognize. He opens his mouth, but no words escape, like he isn't sure if there are words that _could_ be said.

"Why can't I remember?" I can't feel anything. I feel like I'm floating on nothing. "Yusei?" I'm crying out the words, but I don't feel the tears. But I'm crying. I'm crying. "Who is Yusuke?" I don't know him. But he was shot. He was the one who was shot. In my dreams. It was him. It was him all along. "I-I'm scared. I'm scared, Yusei."

Yusei doesn't say anything. I don't think he knows _what_ to say. He holds me close in the dark alleyway, my body pressed against his as he sits on the ground. My vision is blacking out. No. My vision was always black. My thoughts are going, gone towards the endless void, to the nightmares that will come. The gunshot. I'll relive it again, I think.

The last thing I see is a flash of a green aura, one I've seen before, this time not in a dream.

* * *

**A/N:**

for my own fun, i posted a poll that asks who Kallen should end up with. whoever voted for neither, i've been genuinely laughing about it all day now, thank you. it's giving me a good amused kick on what people think should happen

The bar Psycho is a bar seen in Waking Up Normal by DelilahAzure :)


	13. A Terrible Ride

_"This game was not fun_

_I thought it was right b__ecause I won_

_Was it worth the fight?"_

_(Lizard Boy)_

* * *

"You're here again."

His voice is cool. His eyes are narrowed with that cobalt blue I find so _fascinating_. His hair is pulled out of his face, dirt scattered across his pretty mug- most likely from scavenger through the junk. His brown vest is ripped near the bottom, I note with a raised eyebrow. The material looks thin. Handmade.

"Lookin' for somethin'?" I hold up the red piece of metal- a score for this part of town. It wasn't often real _car_ parts could be found, let alone taken before someone else managed it. I'd heard of it from a source of mine, a trait Yusei and I must of share. "Sorry! Too slow, _Ace_."

"_Tomorrow Girl_." Yusei didn't know my name, but I knew his. The infamous mechanic of Team Satisfaction. Kiryu's self-proclaimed _boy toy._

"There might be some nuts and bolts left around. Look around, will you? Goodbye until tomorrow!" I tried to run off, but. I stop. I feel that smirk stretch as I turn, my ponytail flying with my body as I spin to face my challenger. Yusei has that intricate whip of his- that claw that attaches to duel disks and forces the victim to duel. It's wrapped around the wrist dealer to my duel disk.

"Want the scrap that bad?" I raise an eyebrow, my other hand going to protectively clutch my messenger bag closer to my body.

"No." His chin tilts up. "I _want_ to know who you are."

"Who do you think I am?" My voice is smooth. A smug purr.

"You're from the Arsenics," Yusei states clearly. "Don't think you mentioned a name."

"You never asked." My hand reaches for the mechanism in my back pocket. The one that'll clip me free from Yusei's claw-like grip.

He lets out an exasperated chuckle. "Fine. I wanna know before you disappear. What is it?"

I smile, just before I let myself free. "My name is-"

* * *

"_Kallen_."

I thought I hear someone say my name. _Fuck_, my head feels like it's filled with straight-up _shit_. I thought I had a dream, but the thoughts are fleeting, my memories scattered by the throbbing pain sprinting throughout my head. My body aches with each movement. I wiped my face with my hand, wincing as dried blood comes off my fingers. I reach up, touch my nose, and confirm that yes, my nose was bleeding while I was out. Cool. Rad.

I'm still wearing Yusei's clothes.

The suspect in question is laying beside me. On the ground. I seem to be lying on a couch. Neat.

The scene is oddly comforting. Yusei is wearing someone else's clothing- a shirt that appears too big for him, and sweatpants that are too wide for his- _ahem-_ skinny legs. I try to turn away from him, the sleeve of his jacket pushing down my arm- the sleeves just slightly too big around my arms. I need out of these clothes. I swing myself gently over the arm of the couch, wincing as my muscles groaned in protest. My bag was lying next to Yusei's D-Wheel, and mine, which he must have managed to bring inside with him. My hand grips the strap of my bag, pulling it over my shoulder, as my eyes finally take in my surroundings.

I'm…holy shit, is this the penthouse? I'm almost positive this is where Ruka and Run live. But that's…wack. This is wack. That's _not possible_. Lucy would say it's too convenient.

I'm too tired to question it further. I tiptoe to the bathroom, where I'm now certain I am where I thought I am. Rise's pink glittery hairbrush she complained she left here is sitting on a high shelf, glinting sharply in the low lighting, almost seeming to taunt me with its presence alone. I resist the urge to glare. Instead, I choose to dig through my bag. The heel of my stilettos jabs against my hand, my lower lip biting my teeth, but I manage to find what I needed. A spare pair of black shorts, and long black socks. I change quickly, relishing in the more comfortable clothing, and find the washer to dump Yusei's belongings in. But. I keep his shirt on. I can't explain why. But I wanted to. His jacket hangs off my shoulders loosely, not quite over my arms, but hanging half-secured on my shoulder. There are clothes in the dryer already. Mine. I take them out and quickly throw them on top of the dryer for later.

I try to be quiet as I walk my way back into the living room, my legs carefully swinging over the side of the couch so I can return to my spot without waking Yusei on the floor. Why is the bastard on the ground? I know for a fact that Ruka and Rua have a spare guest room. Rise and I slept there _countless_ times in the past.

This is the first time I've really been able to take a closer look at Yusei. His hair is stilled pulled back into a ponytail- allowing me to get a full look at that yellow mark gliding across his tanned skin. His eyebrows are furrowed, which makes me think he's not having pleasant dreams. I wonder if he had the same dream I did- and if he would tell me about it when he woke up.

My hand reaches out, just softly stroking the mark on his cheek. I feel lost in my own thoughts; thoughts of guilt, anger, and determination sinking in. Yusei's may not have opened, but his hand flies up, grabbing mine. I'm too shocked to react, but I jump, my body flying off the couch as I land squarely on Yusei's chest. His other arm wraps around mine to stabilize me. Our faces are inches apart, my breathing heavy as I try to calm myself. Yusei's eyes are open now. I have a close look at the exact color of blue his eyes seem to be. He's studying my face, watching me intently.

"Hey, Ace," I whisper out the nickname so easily, even if I'm not sure _where _it came from.

Yusei's eyes widen for a second. His arm tightens around my waist. I feel my face grow hot. I try to squirm to get out of his grip, but he won't let me. His other hand is still wrapped around mine.

"I thought you were left-handed," He murmured close to my ear.

"Maybe in the last edition," My voice is just as quiet as I respond. Yusei's eyes darken before he loosens his grip. I wiggle out, standing straight, and sit down on the couch. Yusei joins me a moment later. We're sitting on opposite ends of the couch.

There's silence. Neither of us speaks. Yusei looks like he's about to, but stops himself every time. I don't know if I have anything to say.

Yet, I manage out a, "Thanks."

Yusei shoots me an incredulous look. "For _what_?"

"Not turning yourself into Public Maintenance, I guess."

Yusei looks up at the ceiling. He's probably torn between busting his D-Wheel through the door or tossing me off the penthouse roof. Maybe both.

"Are we even?" I ask as I bring my knees to my chest, my arms wrapping around them.

Yusei finally turns to look at me. He's looking me up and down. I don't know why. "Kallen. You impersonated me, stole back my D-Wheel, and ended up in an alleyway getting away."

"Okay. I'll fix your D-Wheel."

"No, _that's not-_" He cuts himself off, his leg bouncing up and down. He looks away from me, before looking back. "If getting even means you keep doing _that_, we're even. We're _even,_" He stresses.

"I'm fine. Okay?" I don't understand why he's so upset that I was hurt. I think I hurt him worse by my past actions. "It's not a big deal."

"Maybe not to you," Yusei shakes his head. "Those two kids- they said they know you."

"Ruka and Rua. Yeah," I nod my head. "I know them."

"How?"

"Is it important?"

Yusei doesn't answer.

"What do we do now?" I ask.

"I don't know," Yusei leans back on the couch. "I have to go back to Satellite somehow. I told my friends I'd get them here." His gaze turns to mine.

I hesitate. I kept saying a name before I crashed. Yusuke. I don't know who Yusuke is. Judging by the look in Yusei's eyes, he does, and if I asked, he'd tell me what I needed to know.

"Do you want me to go with you?" I question instead. Yusei looks thoughtful.

"Do _you_ want to?" He directs it back to me.

I think about it. "I don't know," I answer honestly.

I don't know if Yusei was about to answer. I don't know if I had anything to add. I'm saved from the conversation by the sound of the door opening.

I stand, my body turning to see who it was, but I freeze. My eyes water up with laughter of relief escaping my lips.

"Rise," I babble out her name.

"I came as soon as I could," Rise steps through the door, her hair mused from what I can assume was from wearing a wig during a performance. Her face was clean but had remnants of glitter. "Ruka and Run called and-"

I don't let her finish. I run forward and throw my arms over her shoulders, hugging her tightly to me. Rise quickly returns the gesture. I feel the tears escaping down my cheeks, so I shut my eyes. Rise smells like a mix of lemons and strawberries. I missed this.

"I'm sorry," I rush out the words. Rise's hold on me tightens.

"If I was there for you, maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt," Rise always does this. She blames herself for any trouble I get myself into.

"I'm fine. See?" I step back, letting her get a good look at me. She does. Her eyes widen, and I turn, remembering Yusei was in the room with us. He nods to Rise, who looks terrified.

"This is Yusei Fudo," I introduce to Rise. "And this is Rise Rikiya."

I see the wheels turning in his head. Rise Rikiya. Kallen Rikiya.

"Hi," Rise's voice is shy. She looks to me, an eyebrow raised. I know what she's saying. It's an _are you sure he's from Satellite? _Kind of question. The dense girl thinks he's attractive.

"Yusei," I look over to the raven-haired boy. "I'm going to talk to Rise. Okay?" I'm not asking permission. Yusei knows. He nods. Rise and I lock our pinkies together as she leads me to the guest bedroom.

"What is it?" I know that look on Rise. She has something to say.

"It's nothing," Rise speaks too quickly. I give her a look. "I guess…" She hesitates. "He seems…_nice_. But he's a criminal."

"He's a good guy," I defend him. "He just has shit luck."

"No, I think I understand," Rise lays down on the bed. I lay down beside her. Our hands are intertwined. "It kind of scares me."

"What does?" I use my other hand to try and wipe glitter off Rise's cheek. "He's not scary. I could take him."

"No, he's not, and yeah, you probably could," Rise's eyes are starting to water. "It scares me how easily _you_ could have…how that could have been you…if I didn't find you, Kal." Rise's voice starts to tremble. "You could've been in the Detention Center too. Just for trying to come here."

"But I didn't," I say. "Because you found me."

"Yeah," Rise nods. "I think I get a little bit what Lucy was trying to say. Earlier, I mean. When I didn't listen. And…I'm really sorry." Rise squeezes my hand. "I'm so sorry, Kal. From now on, I'm gonna help. No matter what."

I smile. "Welcome to the team, partner."

* * *

"So you know Kallen! How do you know her? When!? How, How, _How_!? Hey, check out my deck! Wait, come over here!"

"Make him shut up," I groan into my pillow. Rise chuckles beside me. I open one eye to see she's already dressed, her hair pulled back into two thick pigtails.

"Mm," Rise offers her hand. I take it and force myself to sit up. I'm squinting in the harsh lighting the sun brings in, but. Rise throws her hairbrush at me. "Use it," Rise demands sweetly.

_"Use it," _I mumble back with snark, but do as she says. The brush gets thrown onto the bed as Rise throws me the clothes I left on the dryer. I quickly change, the scent changing from Yusei's, to…well, thanks to the Sakamoto's dryer, this is the most expensive I've ever smelled.

"Mornin'," I step out into the room.

"Kallen!" Rua rushes forward, almost knocking me over. "I can't believe you brought a superhero over!"

"Did I?" I look in amusement to Yusei. "I didn't think he was."

"You didn't tell me you were going to be in a tournament," Yusei looks to the Jack Atlas shrine. There's a picture of Jack and I together. I gave that to Rua a few weeks ago.

"Rua told him you were in the Fortune Cup," Ruka is by my side. She looks apologetic. I rub her arm.

"Yeah," I shrug to Yusei. "It was never brought up."

His tone is cold. "It's funny. Not a lot of is brought up by you."

"Are you okay?" Ruka tugs on my shirt. "When you came over last night-"

"It takes a lot more to take me out, kid," I smooth her hair down, effectively ignoring Yusei. She smiles, her eyes brightening in relief. "We need a plan," I take my hands off Ruka to step closer to Yusei. "There are guards out there after you."

Yusei takes a second to answer. "What were you thinking?"

"Let me talk to Godwin. I'll get them off your back." I look to him, _begging_ him to trust me. Yusei nods. He reaches into his pocket- it's only just now I notice he's back into his own clothes, minus his shirt. I put my hand behind my back. Rise, my savior, gets it. She runs into the guest room, grabs the shirt, and tosses it to me. I catch it, and take my hand back to present the shirt to Yusei. He almost smiles. In return, I take back my Not So Fake Anymore ID. I place the ID on the inside pocket of my jacket. "Whose shirt?"

"Our Dad's!" Rua decides to spring up and answer. "He's going to be back for a while. He's in a tournament."

"You two are alone?" Yusei seems taken aback.

"They have teachers," Rise quickly explains. "And…they have us."

"Yusei, let's duel!" Rua brandishes his duel disk. "I wanna duel you! If I duel you, and I win, that means I get stronger!"

"You have time," I hum. "I doubt this is gonna take forever."

"I'll go with you, Kal," Rise offers. I can't help but grin.

"Alright," Yusei agrees. "Be safe." He looks at me, and only me, as he says this.

"I will," I try and reassure him. "I promise." The words come out before I can stop them. "Wait for me, Ace."

His reaction is the most genuine smile I've seen from him. And I can't help but like it.

I take my D-Wheel, grab Yusei's helmet, and hand mine over to Rise. She helps me guide my D-Wheel into the elevator. On the outside, just beyond the doors, are a swarm of officers from the Public Maintenance Bureau.

"You!" The man himself, Ushio, tries to grab my wrist. I swing back, jumping out of reach, but hiss in annoyance. "You're the one working with that Satellite rat, you're coming with-"

"Excuse me!" Rise's voice is shrill as she steps in front of me. Her tiny, petite pink-clad self was standing inches apart from the burly Officer Dipshit. Yet. She was glaring him down. I was in love. "Who told you that you had permission to _TOUCH_ a girl, huh?!" Rise stepped forward, getting right into Dipshit's face. Ushio stepped back, clearly caught off guard. The other officers around Ushio seemed uncomfortable as they fidgeted on their D-Wheels.

Ushio cleared his throat. "This _girl_ has been seen with our subject-"

"Oh, so your opinions let you grab a GIRL?" Rise wasn't letting go. "What proof do you have? Do you have a warrant?" Rise let out a puff of anger, like a bird who had its feathers ruffled. "I'll have you know I have family that lives in this building, and _WE_ were visiting! I am _RISE RIKIYA_. Maybe you would have seen me on your TV last night if you weren't too busy _STALKING_ my _BEST FRIEND, _Kallen _RIKIYA!" _Rise was emphasizing certain words, shouting them out, and causing a small crowd to form around us. People were whispering, giving the officers disgusted side-eyes.

Ushio grumbled under his breath, probably something pathetic, but he glanced back to the other officers and nodded. "Pull back," He commanded. "But we're not done here!" He spun around, pointing his finger in my face. Rise's nostrils flared.

"If you come back, I'll have no choice but to tell my Uncle you're harassing me," This time, I said something. "You might've heard of him. He's the Director of the Public Maintenance Bureau. I heard he signs your paychecks, but. You know. Might be a rumor." I smile wide. Ushio's finger trembles, just slightly, but he turns. And walks away.

Rise practically skips next to me, her arm hooked through mine, her smile wide and radiant. I can't help but stare.

"I'm in love with you," I shake my head and laugh.

"I know," Rise takes my helmet and puts it over her head with a wink. "You couldn't afford me."

"I'll work two jobs."

"You're a tease."

I swing my leg over my D-Wheel, Yusei's helmet on my head. Rise jumps on behind me, her arms wrapped firmly around my waist. She rests her head against my back. I can feel her heartbeat- rapid, but soothing. To me, at least.

"Maybe," I finally admit to Rise.

"It's okay," Rise's voice this time is soft. "I'm used to it."

I don't really think I have an answer to that. I take off, Rise's arms tightening around my midriff, but that Speed. Oh boy. I thought I would hate it after just crashing. But. It's what I need.

We arrive too soon.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Rise frowns, her gaze filled with worry for me.

"No. I should go alone," I appreciate her gesture.

"Okay. I'll get us something from the coffee shop. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," I nod. "Sounds perfect." I take the first steps forward to the door but stop. "Rise?"

"Yeah?" She hadn't walked that far ahead yet. She turns back to look at me, her eyebrow slightly raised.

I take a deep breath. "Love you."

"I love you too. Good luck, Kal." She smiles so wide that I'm envious anyone can feel how _she_ feels. With so much. With so much all the time.

Goddammit, Kallen. You're a piece of shit. You'll _never_ stop being a piece of shit.

Just like Ike.

He's what you deserve. You'll never find someone better. You'll ruin them like he ruined you.

I open the doors, my steps smooth as I make my way towards the elevator that would take me straight to Godwin's doors. I wonder if Elodie's here.

I wouldn't have time to talk to her. I have to get back to Yusei. My thoughts go back to Elodie, and how I haven't even updated her on what's happening, on-

Someone grabs my arm. Before I can react, I'm being dragged into an empty lounge. I yank my arm out of my attacker's reach, my fist raised in the air-

A gloved hand catches mine. I look up, my gold eyes meeting purple. Jackass Asshole. Of course. I try to move my hand back, but Jack has a stronger grip.

"What the fuck do you want?" I glare up at Jack.

"To _talk_," Jack lets go of my hand. He takes my wrist and forces me over to the couch in the middle of the large room. He sits down, gesturing for me to sit across from him. I don't.

"Okay. Talk," I cross my arms over my chest. "I have _nothing_ to say."

"That's shit, and you know it," Jack leans back comfortably, his arms draped over the top of the couch. "I had business with Yusei. You took away _my_ chance of-"

"I had business with him," I snap back, stepping closer to him. "You stole a card. I stole a D-Wheel. Mine beats _yours_."

"I'm _asking_ you to back off."

"And I'm _telling_ you that he owes you nothing."

Jack eyes me. He doesn't stand but remains comfortably sprawled out over the stupid piece of furniture. "And you do?"

"…Yeah," I nod. "I'm trying."

"I've heard."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Do you care?"

"Yes," Jack answers bluntly. "I've said as much."

I hesitate. I don't have a smart answer. Because. I'm not angry at him. I don't think I ever really was. And he knows that.

"…Jack…" I step back, but this time, Jack stands and takes ahold of my arm. I'm facing him, trying not to look at his handsome features, and…I can't help but look.

"We're not different from each other," Jack's hand goes to my chin, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. "Why are you taking his side?"

"I don't know either of you enough to take sides," I'm forcing myself to reboot my systems and not Stop Breathing. "I can't." There's a pit of anxiety boiling inside me that rages to come out. I want to scream. Cry. Run. Punch a wall. I do my best to keep my emotions in check. It's hard. Fuck, it's so hard with _him_ right _there_ and I can't decide if I should kiss him or push him or just. Fall to the ground.

"Come back," Jack has a soft tone of voice I don't think I've ever heard from him but brings on an instant headache as the invisible wall reminds me I have missing memories I can't place. "_Please_."

"…Jack Atlas, begging someone," I let out a weak chuckle. "Who knew?"

"_Kallen_."

"…yeah, no yeah, I know," I put my hand over his. "Just…_please_…not now. Not now."

"You, begging someone," Jack doesn't look away from my face. "Who would have known?"

"You're an asshole," I let out a real laugh this time. "This tournament- I'm going to kick your ass. I'll take your title."

Jack's staring at me. His hand removes itself from my cheek, making me wince and yearn for the affection all at once. I hate it. That look he has is serious.

"What?" I take a step forward. "You know something."

"Godwin's planning something. It involves _all_ of us," The word he presses is supposed to mean something, but I'm not sure what. "Whatever it is, you shouldn't trust him. Not as far as I can throw him."

"Funny, how things revolve around you."

"I'm asking you to be careful."

"I will," I assure him. "Just so you know, if you win, I'll _let_ you take me on a date."

"…Is that a promise?" It was supposed to be a joke, but he looks almost. Hopeful.

"…Guess so," I finally take a step away from him. "I'll see you later, Jack. Goodbye until tomorrow." I give him a mock salute, trying to ignore the fact that his eyes never leave. Me. As I step out of the room.

_This _time, I finally make it to the elevator without someone stopping me. My heart beats loudly, almost painfully, in my chest as the elevator rises up. And up. I take the time to pull a card from my deck. XVIII. The Star, in reverse. Crushed dreams. Oh, good. Ominous.

I reach the top floor. I don't hesitate in striding forward and opening the large office doors.

"You've come."

Godwin is never surprised by my unplanned arrivals- like he's like me- as if he can see some form of the future.

"Yeah," I slide up to his desk, where he sits in his chair. "I need you to call off your guard dogs around Yusei."

"Oh?" Godwin is signing papers, not glancing once up towards me. "And what if, dear niece, I said no?"

"Why wouldn't you?" I'm confused about his angle. "You didn't find what you want, you let him go. I don't get why you have officers tailing him."

Godwin pauses to think about his answer. For a moment, his pen stops moving. "I'm afraid that I was not the one who ordered Ushio. He took that responsibility on his own."

"Tell him to stop."

"I'm afraid not," He continued writing. "If I allow Yusei to freely leave, I assume you would travel with him. I won't allow that."

"That's not for you to allow," I stand tall.

"Your goal, and his, align. To achieve destiny, the two of you _must_ stay in Neo Domino."

"Why?" I place my arms on the desk, finally gaining his attention. He looks up at me, his steely gray eyes holding no emotion, which causes me to bristle in response. He peers down at me, gauging my reaction, before abruptly standing. He gestures for me to follow. I'm confused. He looks out the large glass that showcases the city. I feel I have no choice but to stand beside him.

"Why are you doing this?" My words come out in a whisper.

For once, he says my name. "Kallen. You must understand, I _am_ proud of you. I'm proud of the strong woman you are becoming. I'm delighted to see you embracing our family name, and showcasing your many talents. However," He looks down at me. "There's much to learn. I trust you to help me, and for that to happen, you must remain by my side."

"…Why me?" I think back to Jack's words. His warning. "What can I do?"

"You, and you alone, brought out _three_ Signer marks. There's still two more to find. At the Fortune Cup, all will be revealed, and it will be thanks to you."

"I don't know how I did that," I blurt out. "Wait." I connect the dots. That's what Jack meant. He said Godwin planned something. Something with _all of us._ The Signers. "You're using this tournament to find the Signers," I realize aloud. "It's fake."

"No, not fake," Godwin calmly justifies his actions. "I believe it to be a calling. Your calling is important. The mark of history flows through your veins, starting with your Father, my older brother, Rudger, and down to you- the one who will connect the Signers." Godwin turned back to stare out the window.

"Why did I come here?" I can't help but ask. That's the only question I want an answer. No one will answer it.

"It was your calling. Your destiny," Godwin responds so confidently, I want to believe him. I want to believe him so badly. "You were meant to aid the Signers in their war."

I don't want to.

I wasn't meant for anything great.

I want. I. I don't know what I want. Not this.

"Yusei won't participate," I interrupt the moment. "This tournament. He won't do it."

"I am aware."

"You have a plan." I know him. I know him well. "What are you going to do? You can't keep him here."

"With enough persuasion, anyone will bend, niece."

My blood runs cold. Yusei. Oh, Yusei. "What did you do?"

Godwin's hands are behind his back. He's perfectly poised. A picture of icy perfection. "I was informed he has some…_friends_ in the Satellite Sector. I asked that they would be placed somewhere safe until Yusei could return."

"You locked up his friends." I know what he's saying. I need to go. I need to warn Yusei. My body moves on impulse, turning away from the window, and-

"Kallen." I freeze in my steps. I don't turn to look at my uncle. I don't. I can't. I feel like I'm about to vomit. "I shall warn you not to stay from your path."

I swallow back bile. "And if I do? Will you lock up my friends too?"

"No. Not quite." Godwin's voice echoed throughout the room, making me flinch. I'm shaking. I want to leave. "You, out of most, should be aware that everyone has a weakness."

The way he says that. The way he says that makes me turn to look at him. His gray eyes are trained on someone. I rush forward, trying to gaze at what he's looking at.

A blonde. A beautiful, smiling blonde that radiates so much pure light.

Rise.

"Don't!" I shout out the words. "Not her. Don't touch _her_."

"You asked what would happen if you strayed from your path," Godwin glares down at me, his features neutral- like _I'm_ the one who needs scolding. "An idol falling from grace would not be unheard of. This conversation stays inside of this room."

"…or what?" I smack my palm across the glass, my arms trembling horribly. I want to cry.

"Yusei isn't the only one who is monitored by Officers." His tone is vague. His personality is vague. Everything about him is _vague_.

But I believe him.

I know if I make one wrong decision, my best friend leaves my life.

If I warn Yusei, I lose Rise.

I don't trust Godwin to just stop at Rise. Maybe he'll pick Elodie next. Or Lux. Or. Lucy. I can't lose any of them.

Yusei.

I make my decision. I hold my breath, turning away from Godwin without another word, and rush down the stairs. I don't bother with the elevator. I need to see with my own eyes Rise is alright.

"Kal-" I don't let her finish, I rush forward, hugging her tightly to me. Rise lifts her hands in the air, trying not to spill the two cups of coffee in her hands. "Woah-!"

"We need to leave," I tell her immediately while backing up and throwing on my helmet.

"Did it not go well?" Rise frowns but follows my lead.

"Can't say," I say slowly. "Come on," I gesture for her to get on. Rise looks down at the cups of coffee, before setting them down on the ground to be forgotten. Or picked up by someone else.

"We're littering," Rise giggles, but I can't hear her. My thoughts are rushing through my head. They're all screaming, shouting, swearing-

I take off. I think I go faster than I mean to, judging by the death grip Rise has on my waist. I don't park. I leave my D-Wheel on the side of the building and race up the stairs, taking two at a time. Rise is shouting after me. I feel like I'm underwater, like things are there but out of reach and-

"We're leaving!" I snap out as I enter the penthouse. Yusei, Ruka, and Rua are sitting around a table. Rua's cards were scattered around.

"Okay," Yusei replies shortly.

"Wait! You can't leave yet!" Rua whines. Rise steps through the door, panting.

"Kal!" Rise puffs out. "What happened?"

"Did something happen?" Ruka must have sensed the tension.

"Yeah, and Yusei and I are leaving now," I reply hotly. "Rise, you have to stay here."

"No, I want to help, I want to go with you-"

"And you can't!" I'm crying. I can feel the tears.

"Why not?" Rise is hurt.

"I can't fucking lose you, okay!?" I'm sobbing. All the emotions I felt- the ones I tried to leave pent up, come up at once. I can't see anything. I think Rise sends the kids to their rooms. Arms are wrapped around me as I sob, thin, but surprisingly strong. Yusei. It's Yusei. His presence makes it worse. I'm doing this to him. I'm not telling him.

Rise holds my hand, squeezing tightly, never letting go. Not until I calm down. But I can't.

"Kallen," Yusei murmurs my name into my ear. "You have to tell us what happened.

"Leave it," I mumble back.

"She'll say so when she wants to," Rise reassures him. "I'm not going anywhere. Nothing will happen. Not to me, not to you. Okay?"

You're wrong. You're so wrong, Rise.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I'm a fucking plague wherever I go.

"We need to go," I wipe my eyes on the back of my hand and stand up. It's dark out. Officer Dipshit shouldn't be there. I also wouldn't put it past him to ambush Yusei as soon as he steps out.

Yusei nods in agreement. Rise looks like she's going to argue, but closes her mouth. She instead looks on with large sad eyes.

"Be safe," She begs me.

"Yeah," I nod. "You too. Watch after the kids. Tell them we're okay."

"I will," Rise waves at us.

Yusei and I waste no time. He hikes his D-Wheel into the elevator, while I hold his helmet in my hands. He gently takes it from me, sliding it effortlessly over his large mass of hair. I step out first, just so I can mount my D-Wheel. When Yusei races past, I follow, right on his tail.

On-time, sirens blare. I smirk. Officer Ushio never missed a cue, it seemed. I was sick of his bullshit, and getting to end it-

I didn't need to do anything.

A car blocked our path.

"I was waiting for you two!" Officer Ushio hadn't seemed to notice.

"Officer, would you let the Department handle this situation?" A man I loathed stepped out of the car, standing proudly. Yusei sat up, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I felt my stomach drop. Yeager. Yeager was here.

"I am Yeager, the Head of Special Investigations," Yeager introduced himself. "I have a message from Director Rex Godwin."

"He stole that D-Wheel from the security vault!" Ushio bellowed. "She helped!"

"Ushio, you wouldn't disobey the Director's orders, would you?" Yeager remained eerily calm. "Leave the premises."

Ushio had no choice but to obey. It was now just me, Yusei, and Yeager. In an alley.

"What does the Director want with us?" Yusei demanded.

"This," Yeager threw a single picture at Yusei. I heard Yusei take in a breath. I closed my eyes, as I was unable to look at him. I knew what it was. "Participate in the Fortune Cup. If you refuse, those in the photo will suffer pain. Pain I doubt you would be able to imagine. Do we have a deal?"

"…Do I have a choice?" Yusei sounded. I can't describe it.

"Do you?" Yeager cackled. "And you, Miss Godwin- you are a _bad_ girl. You attempted to run."

"I didn't say anything. That was the deal!" I hiss out.

"Just remember. We have our eyes on you…and on Miss Rikiya," Yeager's grin was wider than what a man should be humanely capable of doing. Without another word, he turned, exiting in his car. Yusei's hand was shaking- the same one holding the picture.

"Yusei-" I tried to say his name.

"You sold me out." That one sentence nearly broke me. "You _knew_. How long?"

"I just learned," I tried to explain myself. "They said I couldn't tell you- Rise-"

"And that was the price? My friends?" Yusei shoved the picture into his jacket pocket. "You didn't trust _me_."

"If I told, I would have lost Rise."

"No. You made the choice for me. We could've done _something-"_

_"_And if I took that chance?" I'm trying to get him to understand where I'm coming from. "Yusei. I _couldn't."_

Yusei said nothing. He looked at me, our eyes meeting. I didn't realize how _hurt_ he'd be. At me. I wonder. I wonder if this is how he looked at _her_\- when he found out. When she did what she did.

"I'm sorry-"

"_Stop."_ His one word, that one word, was spat out. I flinch. "You chose your side. It wasn't me. That's where we are." Yusei glares at me. "You got what you wanted. Our deal- whatever this was- it's done." Yusei grips the handlebars on his D-Wheel. "Your brother wasn't in the picture. I get you don't remember him. I thought you should know."

He drives off, leaving me alone.

As I should be.

Alone.

* * *

"Why are you on the floor?"

Lucy looks down at me from my position laying on my living room floor. I think I'd been staring at the ceiling for seven years. That's what it felt like.

"Leave me to die," I respond with my eyes closed.

"Ah," I hear Lucy throw her bag onto the ground. "You and Yusei got into an argument, yeah?"

"How'd you guess?"

"You're being dramatic. This is how you react when you have a lovers quarrel with Jackie-Boy," Lucy's tone is teasing. There's something else. Something. Weird. It's right underneath that layer she protects herself with.

I sit up, my hair flying into my face. I hastily push it back. "What's up?" I frown.

"Nothin' much," Lucy's voice is something like- something like false cheer. "Just heard a friend of mine is in the Movement. Probably stuck there. Or worse." Lucy fiddles with one of her bracelets- a string bracelet.

"Okay," I nod. "So. We get him out."

"We?" Lucy raises an eyebrow. She's interested in what I have to say.

"Yeah. _We_. Why not?" I smile. I feel attached to this project, that want, that _need_ to do something. I have to help Lucy. I have to move. I have to get rid of this feeling I have. Guilt. Resentment. "You snuck into the Center for me. I'll do this for you."

I have to be better. I want to be better. I _need _to be better. To prove I am. Good. I'm not a piece of shit. I am a good person.

So, I say, "Looks like we're breaking into the Arcadia Movement."


	14. Voices in My Head

_"Of the voices in my head_

_The loudest one is mine!"_

_(Be More Chill) _

* * *

The full list for the participants of the Fortune Cup Tournament is officially out.

That's what the tabloid in front of me claims.

"Ruka Sakamoto, daughter of famous dueling legends," Elodie reads aloud beside me. We're sitting at the kitchen table together. "Kallen Rikiya, newcomer, _wow."_

_"_No mention of my underground duels, of course," I roll my eyes playfully. "Why would they count?"

"Of course! Bommer, no last name, but he's from Peru."

"_Sexy_."

"You're nasty. Kodo Kinomiya."

"Oh, shit, that kid from Academia?"

"Yeah, that one. He was in our year."

"Man, he was fuckin' annoying. I remember he used to go around jottin' down his little notes in his yearbook about everyone." I snort as my eyes further scan the page. "Gods, look at this nerd," I point to the one dressed as a Knight for fuck's sake. "Jill deLauncidontgiveashit."

"You could at least _attempt_ to _try_," Elodie lets out a sigh. "Be respectful. It's someone's _name_."

"Yeah, not my brand," I scan the other names pretty quickly. The Professor, some as swipe named Shira, and-

"Yusei Fudo, the shooting star of Satellite," Elodie reads off in a joking manner. "That's the name they're going with."

"Poor bastard. The crowd is gonna eat the asshole alive," I tug on a piece of my hair. Yusei still hasn't spoken to me since That Night.

"Oh, nasty- Kal," Elodie jumps in her seat, her large eyes are now the size of my fists. "The last contestant- _look!"_ She shoves the paper in my face, effectively losing the purpose of me looking at the paper. I take it from her, shooting her a scathing look, before laying the shit on the table. My eyes widen.

"No way," I breathe out.

"Aki Izayoi. We went to school with her," Elodie bites her lip. "She was two levels below us."

"The other psychic," I confirm as I remember the story. She'd been found out. The other kids shunned her. Then, she was gone. "She's the witch. The Black Rose Witch," I read the caption underneath her picture. My memory of that night- when her mark glowed- was seared into my skull. And I would have to face her again.

"What a coincidence. You know, that's she a part of the Arcadia Movement, and you and Luce are heading over today." Elodie looked nervously at me. "And that you'll see her in the tournament."

"Yeah. Coincidence," I echo. I've learned recently that there's no such thing.

"Hello, Scooby gang!" Lucy bursts through the front door without knocking. Lux is trailing right behind her. Both of their arms and hands are covered in spray paint. She's wearing a patched-up jacket, her shirt proudly displaying _BAN CANDY CRUSH INVITES. _Lux behind her is wearing his normal combination of a yellow shirt, ripped jeans (now covered in various colors of suspiciously hand-shaped paint), and his vest covered in buttons. She throws her bag containing her paints onto the ground, her arms spread as she lands on the couch. Lux lands on top of her, cueing Lucy to scream and shove him off her onto the floor. Neither Elodie or I can help but laugh as we join them in the living room.

"It's game time!" Lucy stands on top of my coffee table.

"So speaks the King!" Lux picks Lucy up under her knees and sets her on his shoulder, all the while Lucy is doing a mix of shrieking and cackling.

"King? I never fucked Kallen!" Lucy is swatting Lux's shoulder.

"Open the window and I'll jump," I say to Elodie. Elodie smacks my arm.

"The mission!" Lucy calls out.

"The mission!" Lux sets Lucy down on the couch, where she remained standing.

"Fuckin' say it!" I mock fist pump the air to mimic the goons.

"Raiki Manjome! That's the man we're saving from the Arcadia Movement. A month ago, the bastard tried to "_infiltrate"_," Lucy used air quotations. "But, the moron got himself stuck. So that's where we come in! Elodie!" Lucy jumps onto the couch so she was facing the other girl. "Do you got my ID card?"

"Right here," Elodie reached into her pocket and pulled it out. Lucy took it in her nimble fingers and raised it into the air.

"Okay!" Lucy went back to facing all of us. "Lux, _thank you_ for your earlier help, your efforts are no longer needed. Elodie, did you send that map?"

"I got you, babe. Should be on your phone."

"Thanks mate! Now for the star of the show- Kaaaaallen Rikiya!" Lucy and Lux both put their hands near their mouths and did exaggerated cheers.

"I'm really about to throw myself out of the goddamn window."

"Later! First, you're gonna be our big' ole distraction for the man in charge. Tell Divine you're a psychic related to Godwin, and he'll be on your ass like a bee to a honeycomb."

"Gross. I'll pass."

"There's no denying me, sweet cheeks."

"What about me? What can I do?" There was a new voice by the door. All of us turn, and to my surprise, I see Rise. She's dressed in knee-high black boots, a ruffled black shirt with cherubs, and a cotton candy mini-skirt. But she's here.

"Rise?" Elodie is the first one to speak.

"Do you know what we're even doing?" Lucy jumps from the couch. She looked both annoyed and amused, which. I don't blame her. "Kal and I are sneaking into a top guarded cult to get back my friend. This isn't some _pop_ _thing_."

"No, I-I know," Rise picks at the end of her skirt. "But I know I missed out already, a-and I want to be involved! For Kal. For Kallen." Her blue eyes meet mine. "All I know is my best friend's a psychic and she needs my help."

"What were you thinkin'?" I'm the one who speaks before Lucy can. "Lucy and I are sneaking into the Arcadia Movement. The one I told you about."

"There's a psychic that duels near here, right?" Rise stunned me with the information. I knew it already. I'm just stunned _she_ knew. "Then I'll go out there and keep tabs on her. Tell you guys when she's coming back. If she's allowed outside, she must be important. Right?"

"…You're right. That'd be appreciated," Lucy admitted. "The one dueling is Aki Izayoi. AKA, the Black Rose Witch. She's Divine's favorite. If she comes back, we lose Divine's attention."

"Then leave it to me." Rise nods. "Kal, I'm borrowing some clothes." She doesn't let me respond. She's already in my room. I'm too dazed to really react.

Okay. That happened.

"What's on your card? Same thing?" I nod to the ID card in Lucy's hands.

"No," Lucy hands me the card to look at.

"Lucy Yuki." I readout. "Why change?" I ask my friend.

"Because," This time, I see the fire in Lucy's eyes. It's deadly. It's almost frightening. "I want Divine to know _exactly_ who's taking from him."

And then the moment's over. Rise comes out in her new outfit. "Ready," She smiles at me alone.

"I'll walk you there. Make sure you're good," Lux offers. I let out a sigh of relief. While Rise looks uncomfortable with the thought, she nods at him.

"Be safe," I tell her as I offer my hand. She takes it in hers and squeezes.

"You too," I feel the slight tremble run through her hand. "Be safe, Kal." She doesn't look at Lucy.

* * *

"Nothing yet? Really?"

"Nothin'," I confirm. We're at a coffee-shop just around the corner from the Arcadia Movement. "He doesn't exactly have a phone I can _call_."

"Yeah, but did you try Lux's friend?"

"Saiga? Bastard won't tell me anythin'."

"Trash. Beat him up," Lucy finished the rest of her tea and set the glass down.

"I thought about it," I admitted. "That mural over there. That yours?" I nodded to the side of the Arcadia Movement.

PSYCHICS ARE NOT YOUR ARMY

WE DO NOT WANT YOUR WAR

Those were the words sprayed along the pristine white wall. But that wasn't the part that made me want to keep looking out of pure awe. Lucy and Lux had managed a collage of colors under the guise of a weeping willow. Each petal was a different color, causing a shifting rainbow. It was stunning. And not because Lucy made it.

"Who else?" Lucy stuck out her tongue in a smile.

"It's a bold statement," I finished my coffee. I left the bill on Jack's card. It's my privilege as Jack's infamous tabloid _girlfriend_.

"Speaking of _bold_," Lucy was hesitating. Lucy never hesitated. I didn't like this.

"What is it?" I spoke slowly.

"I need a favor," Lucy blurted out. "And you won't like it. But!" Lucy raised her finger in front of my face. "It's _necessary_. You see, my aura, it's too strong. Divine will notice it right away."

"Not sure I'm following," I frown. But I think I was.

"I need to hide," Lucy lowered her voice. "And I need _you_ to be noticeable. You need to be a distraction. As a _liberationist_, you're already really interesting, but we can add to that."

"Liberationist?"

"That's the word we use to describe someone with your powers. Anyway, Kallen, _please_. You have to trust me." Lucy stared at me with begging blue-green eyes. "I need you to drain my powers. _All of it_."

No. No? No. No! _No_.

"Lucy-" I tried to argue, but she clung onto my hand like I was her life support.

"No, listen to me, please," Lucy was _pleading. _"Okay? Just listen. I trust you. Nothing will happen. And it'll only be an hour, two hours tops."

"What if something goes wrong?" I whisper. What if I do something. Wrong. Bad. "Why would you let me do that?"

"Because it's you!" Lucy squeezes my hand. "You're my best friend. I trust you so much, Kal. And it's my powers. You're my supergirl."

"I can't," I feel my panic rising. But Lucy is grinning at me. I see the hope in her eyes, the sheer confidence _she _has in _me_. And I want to cry.

"I've got so much faith in you," Lucy told me genuinely in only a way she can. In a way that makes me think we can do this. That I can do this.

"Give me your hand," I say before I change my mind. Lucy doesn't hesitate. I take a deep breath.

And I copy.

I don't stop. I have to close my eyes so I don't see Lucy's reaction, but I feel her arm start to tremble in mine. I've never taken someone's _full _power before. I'm not even sure if I know when to stop.

On instinct, it's like I know. I know when there's nothing else. It's only then when I allow myself to open my eyes. My whole body is trembling. But I feel. Good. I feel so good.

Lucy, on the other hand, is pale. She's breathing heavily. When I move to Lucy's side, she shoves my outstretched hand away.

"I'm _fine," _Lucy insists. "Just…gimme time to get used to this."

Lucy is in pain. I couldn't see that power. I see her emotions.

"What all did I take?" I can't help but blurt out.

"I'll go in order," Lucy is now sitting upright. A waitress has brought her water. Lucy gulps it down and wipes her hand with her mouth. "I'm an empath, Physicalizer, Spirit Walker-"

"In _normal_ terms-"

"_RIGHT._" Lucy rolls her eyes. "Empath," She holds up her hand and puts down a finger. "Means I can _see_ emotions. You should be able to see it now, yeah?"

"Yeah," I confirm with my stomach-churning. Lucy's aura shifts as she laughs. She's amused.

"Medium." Another finger goes down. "I can see spirits. Easy enough. Physicalizer." Another finger. "I can make duel monsters become _real_, so to speak. Place a card down, boom, they exist. Spirit Walker." One more. "I can travel to and from the Spirit World. And last: Waster." She closes her fist. "You already had this. It's' telekinetic control of your surroundings."

"That's…a lot," I admit. I don't feel so good.

"Not so much more than you," Lucy bumps her hip to mine. "You, my friend, are a Liberationist, Waster, Intuitionist-"

"I…I don't think I want to know what those mean," I chuckle, but the sound is weak. I'm weak. No. I feel. Weird. Very weird. Strong. Lucy. "Does it hurt?" I ask Lucy.

"No," She answers immediately. She's lying. I see that.

"I don't like having your powers," I confess.

"Yeah," Lucy stands up straight. "I'm not a fan of it either. We've got a plan. Sooner we pull this heist off without a hitch, sooner we can swap back."

I eye the door. I'm trying to take deep breaths. This was it. The power stirring inside me was spinning, making my hands feel jittery. My heart was racing.

Lucy's hand is in mine. It was sudden. I felt grounded back to earth. My eyes meet hers, and she smiles wide. I smile back.

"I'll go in through the back. Text me if you need anything, but remember that there are cameras everywhere. You got this, partner," Lucy shakes my hand in hers. I squeeze back with a real laugh.

"You too," I don't want to let go. "Go find your boyfriend."

"Ah, he's not a girl with pretty black hair and gold eyes," Lucy gives me a playful wink before running off. I watch her before my eyes sharpen in on the Arcadia Movement. I try to hold my head high, my back straight, as I take my first steps towards the tall building.

I don't focus on my shaking legs or my racing heart. My eyes are on the door. There's a call button, surprisingly. I press it with the full expectation that nothing would happen.

"_State your business._" A woman's voice comes through on the machine.

"My name is Kallen Godwin," My voice is clear. Confident. More confidant than I feel. "I'm here to see Divine Kaiser."

There's no response. Not for several moments.

The door's open. I'm greeted by the man of the hour himself.

"Good afternoon," The man is only taller than me by a few inches. His burgundy hair swoops to the side, revealing beady eyes. "I must say. I would never have expected to be greeted by the Director's _niece_."

He's intrigued. His aura is green. Sewage green. Trash green. Garbage man.

"It's nice to meet you," I offer my hand out, which he takes. His hands are gloved. The simple touch sends a jolt through my body. Lucy's aura does _not_ like his. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Divine gestures with his hand for me to follow. I obey. My eyes trail across the pristine walls of the Movement. It reminds me of a mix between an office building and the Academia. Which would make sense, I guess.

"I was surprised when I heard of your unexpected arrival to my Institute," Divine stopped only when we were near the elevators. "Is there something you wish to ask, my dear?"

"I assume you know I'm a psychic," I start. Divine nods. The elevator comes. We both step in. "I'm participating in the Fortune Cup tournament alongside Aki Izayoi. I've been told she's your _star pupil_."

"Your information is detailed, I admit."

"I assume you don't know that myself, and my friend, are being blackmailed to be docile by my uncle, the Director." My eyes darken. I naturally spit out the words, because. The anger is genuine.

Divine's aura changes. He's amused. "So. This is why you came to see me."

"You too are enemies," I state proudly. "But he doesn't understand that psychics must stick together. He doesn't _understand_ that I require trainin', and I need to see what other options I have out there."

"You've made the correct decision," Divine practically purrs. The elevator stops. We're on the top floor. He stops at the railing and looks down. When I look, all I see are two tiny ants dueling one another. Both wear some kind of device on top of their heads.

"We train our students to harness their powers, and by doing so, they can obtain their full potential," Divine nods to the two kids.

The attacks are real. One of the kids is knocked down by a tiny serpent. I could do better. Their power, their aura, is _weak_. I flex my fingers, a smile growing on my face. Divine is watching my every move, but I don't see him. I won't see him.

My arm stretches out just as my vision locks in on a duel disk sat atop a rolling rack. In a fluid motion that I can barely register, the duel disk is on my arm, and a card is laid. Arcanite Dragon presents herself above the kids, roaring. Her wings flap, knocking the two of them against the walls. My hair flies behind me. But I don't move.

I laugh. I _laugh._

_This power. _It's so much. I want, I need, _I crave-_

A chirping purr sounds beside my ear. I look, and I see Ruby Carbuncle nestling its head against my ear. I can breathe. My hand is cold as I remove the card, and toss the duel disk aside.

"That's what I can do," I state, my eyes down at the two fallen kids. I don't see him smile. But I feel it.

"Hm," Divine makes an approving noise in the back of his throat. "Yes. That we can do." Divine looks to me. "Your family, I assume, are not psychic?"

"My Mom was," I answer before I can stop myself. I didn't know that. My eyes widen, and my hand grips the railing in front of me. "I wasn't supposed to remember that," I murmur.

"Pardon?" Divine's hand is on my shoulder. He's helping stabilize me. I don't want him. I want his hand off me.

"I have missing memories," I admit to him vaguely.

"Oh?" His eyebrow raises. "If you're interested in staying in the Arcadia Movement, we have a ward that specializes in memory manipulation. There's a possibility our doctors could uncover those forgotten memories.

"_What_?" I babble out.

My missing. My missing Memories. They could get them back? They're out there- just waiting?

For a moment, I want to scream yes. I want to shout it. I want to forget this life and get back what I had.

My hand reaches for my deck. I pull out a single card. 0. The Fool. Me. A warning. This card is a warning. It's warning. Me.

_Don't stray too far from the path,_ my cards whisper, louder and clearer than they ever have in the past.

My phone buzzes in my skirt pocket. At the same time, Divine's phone rings. "I apologize. I must take this. Excuse me for a moment," Divine apologizes as he steps away. I take that moment to whip out my phone.

RK: _Aki's coming back!_

I forwarded the message to Lucy. She sent back a thumbs up followed by a gif of a duck waddling. I stopped trying to understand what she means.

I glance back at Divine. His back is turned to me.

If I stayed, I could find my missing memories.

I turned back.

And I ran.

We didn't have much time left. I needed to find Lucy and help her out. I run down the stairs, taking two at a time. I think I'm on the fourth platform when I pass by a girl, shorter than me, holding her arm to her chest.

Our eyes connect. I don't stop running.

But I know who she is. And she knows who I am.

Aki Izayoi covers her claw mark instinctively, the one I saw the same day. Back when it was glowing. Her words rumble through my head.

_You too._

I see a card flash in my eyes. II. The High Priestess. I don't have time to digest what the fuck that could possibly mean, or what my cards are trying to tell me _now_ of all the time and places to fucking _talk_.

I can't stop. I'm on the third platform. Lucy is trying to break into a door. I run forward and throw my arms around her.

"Kal!" Lucy is shocked. "What happened to the plan? You know, the one where you get Divine off my ass?"

"Figured you needed help," I let go of her reluctantly. "Where are we at?"

"The door's locked. I'm trying to get it open. I'm _pretty_ sure he's in there."

That was enough information for me to go off of. I hold out my hand and use my powers to rip the door off its hinges. The sound was loud, certainly attracting attention we probably wouldn't have had before. Alarms start to blare overhead as the result of my decision to vandalism and ruin private owned property. Of a cult.

Lucy cackles. "That'll do it!" She shrieks with delight. She runs into the room.

"Lucy?!"

"Manjome!" She throws her arms around the neck of a spiky-haired guy with a flared out coat. Black hair. Black eyes. _Hmph_. Traitor.

"How the hell did you find me?" Manjome seems stunned.

"You really think I'd leave my family behind?" Lucy is wiping tears out of her eyes. Manjome seems panicked by this. He's trying to wipe her tears on the jacket of his sleeves.

"Woah, hey Luce, don't cry! I could have gotten out myself!"

"No, you couldn't of, you stupid idiot!" Lucy smacks him on the chest.

"Hate to interrupt," Oh, that's a lie. "But there are alarms going off and I'm not wearing the right shoes to get arrested."

"Right!" Lucy grabs onto Manjome's hand and starts straight up running. I'm trying not to laugh. I move to follow, but a figure blocks my path. Divine.

"Does the offer still stand?" I have the audacity to smile. Divine's aura is dark. Furious.

"It's not _wise_ to make an enemy of the Movement," Divine growls out.

"I don't care," I state proudly.

Divine sneers. "I could have given you _what you wanted_. Those missing memories of yours? You'll never-"

"I don't want them," I interrupted to tell him. "I don't need them."

"One last chance," Divine holds up a single finger. "I'm giving you _one chance _to beg, to ask generously. I've offered you a _family-"_

"I got one," I tell him. "I might not know them, or trust them, but I got one. I don't want yours."

It doesn't matter. Family doesn't matter. I've got Lucy. And Rise. And Lux. And Elodie.

And Jack and Yusei.

What else do I need?

I brush past Divine. He doesn't make a move towards me. What could he do? Kill the Director's niece?

He knows this too. I'm sure that's why he says, "_This isn't over_."

"Cool," I say back. I don't stop until. I walk out of the building, and leisurely make my way back towards my house.

The Scooby-Doo gang, my family, are waiting for me outside. Lux is spinning Rise around in his arms, and she seems…_happy_. Excited. She's grinning ear to ear. She says my name- the name she chose. I smile back. Despite my heels, I take off in a sprint. Lux drops Rise delicately to grab me and spin me around my waist.

"Tomorrow Girl!" He shouts. "You should've been there! Our girl here_,_" He pats Rise on the shoulder. It takes me a moment to register he's actually talking about my best friend, Rise Rikiya, the famous pop idol. "She stole the crowd! Aki comes in, guns blazin', and starts destroyin' shit. Draws a crowd. Rise _WHIPS_ off her hood, all mysterious, and yells at everyone she's signin' autographs. She gets everyone away before someone could get hurt, you know? MAN, what a-"

"Shut up, it wasn't _that_ great," Rise is clearly enjoying the attention. Her cheeks are flushed pink.

"Guess we got two superstars today!" Lucy is smiling. She's SMILING at Rise. I could drop dead and still be shocked in hell. I reach out my hand before I say anything. Lucy raises an eyebrow but clearly understands. She takes my hand in hers, and I _give back all of her shitty powers before I take over the GODDAMN world for fucks sakes. _

Lucy shakes her body, feeling energized. I feel tired but relieved. I feel like. Me. Yes.

"I never want to do that again," I say in a dry tone. Lucy cackles.

"It's good to be me again!" Lucy stretches out her arms. Her back cracks. She cackles harder. "I'm going to my room. Manjome's in there. I'll make him say thanks later, but right now, poor dude's been through some shit." She gestures with her hand around her head. "We gotta talk about some stuff, but who's up for a party later?"

"Fuck, I'll pick up some stuff," Lux looks excited.

"Rad," I want a nap. Rise looks sympathetic. Her hand goes into mine. I let her. I don't hear Lux and Lucy talking, but Lux puts his hand on my shoulder for a fleeting moment before walking down the street. To the supermarket, I guess. I don't know. I space out. A lot happened in the span of an hour. Too much to process through.

"You okay?" Rise rests her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I try not to nod. So I don't disturb her.

"I saw Yusei there," Rise admits. I stiffen. "Down in the dueling square."

"Did you talk to him?" I murmur.

"Yeah," Rise's grip on my hand tightens. "I really think you need to talk to him."

"He doesn't want to," I gently tell Rise. "Talk. He doesn't want to talk."

"I don't know about that," Rise backs up to stare in my eyes. She looks…hopeful. Her next sentence catches me off guard. Enough to make me stop.

"It's kinda funny. The first thing he said to me, he asked about you. He asked if you were okay."

* * *

"Are you here to tell me that you waited until the last minute to tell me that you won't be in for work next week?"

"Maybe," I say cheekily to my Boss. "Don't tell me you saw the magazines? They're pretty modern for you, Boss."

Boss gives me a look. He sat at his desk, his steely eyes glaring me down. I smirk back. There's no malice in his gaze. There never is. "Mateo won't shut his trap about you," Boss grumbles.

"He rarely does," I snort. "What's new this time?"

"What's new this time?" Boss repeats. "You. You, Kallen. You're gonna be in the pro-leagues after this. No one will leave you alone."

"What about it?" I never thought about it that way.

"Are you ready for that?" Boss eyes me down. I know he's thinking of the time Jack came and dropped off his D-Wheel. And the time we were published as a couple online. All the rumors swirling about me- they'll only get worse. That's what his eyes are saying.

Am I ready for that? For a while, I thought that was what I wanted. These past few weeks have made me realize I don't have a fucking clue what I want.

"Not sure," I say honestly. "Guess we'll find out."

Boss sighs. "Kal, listen to an old man for a second." He stands up and walks to where he was directly in front of me. I can see the gray scarring his temples quite clearly. "The world out there- the dueling world- is a vapid pit of shit on top of shit reporters who know no boundaries, and shit rules that _want_ to see you lose for audience entertainment."

"Speaking from experience?" I gaze up at him.

"I want you to know that if it comes to it, you have a place here," Boss ignores my dig and puts his hand on my shoulder stiffly. Like the actions weren't normal for him. "You've got a job. Nothing will take that away. Not no goddamn reporters, not no fans, and not no Uncle."

"Aw, Boss," I grin. "You know you're the only Dad 'round here for me."

"Funny," Boss takes off his hand and wipes it on his pants. "Go on and get. Remember my words for once, damn girl. Come back once this is over. Not a day over."

"Aye aye, Boss," I salute him. I take the exit out of his office to avoid talking to Mateo. My steps echo off the concrete, but just as I take a step forward, I almost trip. I glance down. Right in front of my foot is a fat striped brown and tan cat. He howls, then proceeded to roll onto his stomach, and stares up at me with slanted eyes.

"Hi, cat," I greet the feline awkwardly. I try to step over it, but the cat is back under my feet. I never even saw the fucker move. "Go away," I try to gently prod it with my foot, but the cat latches on, not letting go. I hiss out of annoyance.

"Damn it," I pick up the cat reluctantly. There's a collar around his neck. The metal tag says _Pharaoh_. Okay. There's a note stuck between its fur and the collar. I gently take it out, set the cat down, and read.

_For_ _Kallen Rikiya, _It addresses. That's me. This is weird and uncomfortable. There's nothing else addressed. Pharaoh stares up at me and yowls again. I look around, just to see if this was some kind of prank or joke, but I'm the only one on the sidewalk.

"I guess I have a cat now?" I'm not sure what to do. As soon as I start walking, the beast follows. I'm trapped. I have no choice but to adopt this cat.

* * *

The sun is setting. I'm sitting on the fire escape. Pharaoh is beside me, taking a nap, and purring so fucking loudly.

"Hey," Lux is in front of me on his side of the fire escape. He sits so his legs are dangling off the edge. "What's with the cat?"

"He's mine," I tell him. "I think he's mine."

Lux reads the name tag and laughs. "Rad," He says, but his face says something else.

"Out with it," I tell him.

"I know something's up," Lux is petting the cat. Pharaoh turns to his side, his purring only increasing in sound. "And I know I'm not the one you want to talk to." Lux moves so he sits beside me. I lean my head on his shoulder.

For a few minutes, there's silence. Lux is waiting for me to say something first. I appreciate him. I appreciate this boy so goddamn much.

"Am I being dumb?" I mumble out the question.

"In this, or overall?"

"Shut up," I poke his side. "I mean it. Answer the damn question."

"Just a little. But I get it. I get why you did all of it." Lux stares up at the sky.

"Daichi," I say his name suddenly. "Is he back in Satellite?"

Lux takes a moment to answer. "Not sure," He admits. "I haven't seen him. His charge was higher than mine. Criminals get put back there. If you're right, and he is out, I guess he's back there."

"I have to believe I am. Right. I have to," I close my eyes against Lux's shoulder.

"Yeah," Lux rubs my arm that's around my shoulders. "You know, if you really want to see Yusei, he's just across in my house."

I think about stabbing him repeatedly with my shoe. I almost threw him over the railing right then and there. Lux takes his hand off me like he's been burned and sheepishly slides across the stairs to face directly across from me. His hands are in the air in surrender.

"Woah, woah, _woah Tomorrow Girl!"_ He's laughing. He's dead. "Saiga asked me for a favor!"

"He's been staying there _the entire time?_" I seethe with all my 5'7 height in fury. I stand up, but Lux grabs my wrist before I can sock him.

"Calm down! Look on the bright side, now you can talk to him!" Lux lets go of one of my hands to run his hand through his hair. "Aaaaand you both got a chance to cool down!"

"I'll kill you," I promise.

"I've lost count how many times you've said that," He boops my nose. "The proper thing to say would be _thank you_."

"You're fuckin' thankful you're not dead."

"Maybe!" Lux steps away, takes my cat in his arms, and steps through my window.

"Take care of my cat!" I slam my fist against my window. He flips me off in return. I take a deep breath, adjust my shirt, and look at Lux's window. Yusei was in there. I stride forward, easily sliding my way in. I slam the window shut, making sure to lock it. And lock the door. And lock the back door. Fuck Lux.

I hear noises coming from the garage. I know he's down there working. I slow my steps, my knees suddenly shaky. I have to stop to press my forehead against the door. Just long enough to gain my courage to go in.

He doesn't look at me when I come in. He might think I'm Lux. "Hey," I call out to him, my voice surprisingly small in the cramped room.

He looks up, stunned. That's all he does. He just looks at me. I take a few steps forward, but the distance between us feels like miles. That's all we're doing. We're just staring at each other. I feel my eyes start to tear up.

The weight of all I've done, past and present, hits me like the sack of shit I am.

"I've been a real shitty friend," I put my wrist up to my eyes to catch my tears.

"Yeah," He finally speaks. "I know."

I can't hold it. I rush forward and hug my arms around his torso. Yusei tenses. He doesn't move to hug me back, but he also doesn't push me away.

"I'm sorry," I whisper into his jacket. "I'm so fuckin' sorry. I should have tried harder, I should have trusted you, I should have just taken your hand and _ran-"_

"Kallen," Yusei cuts me off. He makes me let go, but his hands never leave mine. He's looking right at me. "Stop," He tells me gently. "I'm not angry."

"You're not?" I sniff. "You should be. I thought you would be."

"I was. I'm not. Time heals. I understand," He sighs. "I've given it some thought, and maybe I might have done the same."

"Oh. Okay. Then." I let go. "That's all I needed to tell you. But. I'll see you at the tournament, right?" I let out a shuddery breath. He's staring at me, his arm just outstretched slightly. I turn my back to him. I don't know what compels me to say this. It just feels...right. "Goodbye until tomorrow, Yusei."

This time, his arms are the ones who wrap themselves around my neck. He's holding tight. "_Stay_," He begs me. I pull my hands up to cover his. He's not wearing his gloves. I laugh out of pure relief.

"Yeah," I agree. "Sounds good." We both let go, but we're still holding hands. It's still tense. But good. I don't want to let go. I don't want to lose him again. "Wanna watch something?" I look at the TV.

"Not dueling," He says.

"Not dueling," I agree. And I smile. And he smiles back.

* * *

**A/N:**

Please note that any terms for the Arcadia Movement, such as Spirit Walker, Waster, and anything else you may see has been largely made up by EibonVirgo for her story **To Be Human**. The concept of terms for Psychics is hers, and any usage I use has been approved by her. Some of the terms I may have come up with, but trust me, it was with her help and referential advice. I love her dearly.

Go check her out.

GO CHECK HER OUT.


	15. Drive It Like You Stole It

_"You just can't stand the way that I walked out from the wreckage_

_Can't understand the way that I turned myself around_

_I tried to terminate this war with you_

_But you won't let it go_

_You keep coming back for more!"_

_ (Sing Street)_

* * *

Holy shit. My head hurts.

All I see is white. It feels like I'm floating, but I can't see. I can't feel my arms, my legs, my-

Who's there? I can feel someone. Another psychic, like me. It feels like they're watching me, waiting for me. What do you want?

There's no answer. Why would there be?

_I'm waiting for you to remember, _the voice says, eerily familiar to mine. _And then, you'll find me, my other self-_

My eyes open. I'm awake, in my room. Pharaoh is purring loudly on my stomach. He seems annoyed at my sudden movement, judging by the way he bats at my hands with his paw. I grab him, despite his cries of protest, and hold him close to my chest. He's squirming, but I ignore it. I'm breathing deeply.

"It was just a dream," I have to tell myself. Pharaoh seems to have calmed down. "Just a dream," I repeat back. My whole body is shaking. I force myself to get out of bed, set Pharaoh down, and put on a shirt. I think it's mine.

Pharaoh meows from the bed. I open my arms, to which he jumps. I catch him and hold him against my chest. He's purring now. Cheeky bastard.

"Pharaoh!" I hear Lucy screech the moment I step into the living room. "What are you doing here?"

"You don't know this cat," I hold the cat closer to me, out of Lucy's reach.

"Pharaoh?" Raiki Manjome is sitting on my couch, his eyes wide with surprise and _recognition_. "How the hell is that cat still around?"

"You don't know this cat," I repeat. "That's literally not-"

"Sure I do!" Lucy interrupts with a grin. "He used to be my Dad's cat when he was in school, then after."

"But he, your Dad-"

"Yeah, I know he's old, but I think Pharaoh's only lived so long because he swallowed the spirit of my Father's old professor, and then went to the spirit world with him a few times, and now honestly at this point, I think he's absorbed some of the power of darkness from my Dad's duel spirit he fused himself with when he was seventeen after their long battle in the spirit world-"

"Get out," I point to the door. "Get out, lock the door, and never come back."

Lucy wasn't looking at me. She was looking somewhere beside me. She made a face, and then, suddenly she was laughing. "I know! She's almost always crabby in the morning. Don't worry, she's nicer after she gets her coffee-"

"Woah! You're right! That bastard is still there!" Now Manjome is looking beside me. At the same spot. Like there's actually some ghost.

"Out," I said again. "Don't ever come back."

"I'll see you at the Fortune Cup!" Lucy grabs her bag and waves to me. Today, the slogan on her jacket says _DISCRIMI__NATION. "_Raiki will be there too!"

"Go." I wave my hand towards the door.

"Yo, thanks again for letting me crash," Raiki gives me a two-finger salute before he follows Lucy out the door. I let Pharaoh down on the couch, my eyes narrowing as I peered at him. I was trying to see whatever bullshit Manjome and Lucy claimed they could see.

"You don't have a spirit inside of you, do you?" I scratched under his chin. Pharaoh purred under my touch.

"Would you be surprised?" A deep voice says from the kitchen. I look up. I see Yusei with a pan in his hand, cooking eggs. He's wearing my sweatpants and one of my tank tops, which fits a bit small, as the top of his stomach was exposed. Still. I didn't mind the view.

"Who said you could cook for me?" I stood up, my arms crossed over my chest.

"Who said this was for you?" Yusei countered, a sly half-smile barely escaping. I laugh, but pull out plates and start the coffee machine. "Thank you. For letting me stay."

"You could have stayed at Lux's," I remind him. He didn't answer. "Yet. I'm glad you stuck around."

"I saw Jack," Yusei's eyes look towards mine. I nod at him- to let him know he can keep going. "He drove by here. I don't know if he was looking for you."

"Guess he found you instead," I start to make myself a cup of coffee. "What'd he want?"

"Talk," Yusei put the eggs onto a plate. "He swore we'd have our rematch."

"Yeah, that's Jack." I grab one of the plates I sat out and move to the table. He follows behind. He has a glass of milk.

"He tried to kill my friend, R-…Kal," He shakes his head.

This feels familiar, I think, in a nice way. I feel comfortable.

"Wait, what?" I frown as I actually take in his words. "Jack never mentioned that."

Yusei gave me a look. One that said _really? "_My friend is fine, thanks for asking."

"Well, yeah, 'course he'd be. With you, I mean," I shoved a pile of eggs into my mouth so I could stop talking.

"What?"

"You save people. That's kinda your thing."

Yusei slams his fork against the plate. "I'm shit at it."

I finish my coffee, the cup setting itself on the table with a satisfying _click. _I level my eyes to meet Yusei's. A smile curves my lips.

"So what are you gonna do?" My voice is a low hum.

Yusei raises an eyebrow. He leans in, just slightly, his elbows resting on the table. "I'll prove I'm not a string Godwin can pull," Yusei speaks with so much conviction, I find myself envious. Envious that someone can feel that much. "I'll save them. I'm doing this for them."

"You'll figure it out, Icarus," I say it so easily. Yusei's fork drops. I don't have the energy to look at him. "She said that, didn't she?" I murmur.

"Yeah," Yusei swallows. "She did." A beat pauses. "That guy the other day, at the bar-"

"What about him?" I tense. I already feel my throat starting to close from the thought of the mere _words_ that could ever describe him.

"Who was he?" Yusei looked over me once. He must have seen my stance. "The way you looked at him. I've never seen it. Not from you."

"He's an ex," I stab my plate harder than I mean to. "Ike Garam. Met him back in Duel Academia. We dated. For awhile. Too long. He's…" I trail off. I'm not sure where to go from there. Yusei is looking at me. Gently. Kindly. I have to force myself to breathe. "…he's a piece of shit," I shake my head. "A psychic," I add. "That's what drew me in. Then, suddenly, we graduated. He felt. Feels like the world owes him. We start doin' these _missions, _but it was just me. He convinced me what we were doin' was. Good. It was all illegal. I…"

How can I explain this to him and not make myself look like a complete asshole?

Oh, wait, there isn't a way to explain myself out of this.

In this story, I'm the villain.

"Kallen," Yusei's voice brings me out of my thoughts. He's still got that stupid look on his pretty face. "It's okay," He says calmly.

"It's _not_," I blurt. "_Fuck_, Yusei, I _hurt_ people. Good people. I didn't know they were good. I didn't know I was using my powers to _hurt._ I didn't…" Yusei's hand covers mine. I take a shaky breath, one that shudders throughout my entire body. "I don't know if you know about my powers-"

"I do," He interrupts. He nods at me to continue.

"-Right. I used the one I don't like using. I stole people's powers. Used them. I gave them back. I always _tried_ to give them back. Ike knew. He knew the entire time. And I didn't. He said he loved me. If I loved him, I would help him. I did. I did all that. And I'm an idiot for it. Worthless. I was worthless without him. He…" I finally look up to meet Yusei's eyes. Clear on. "It stopped when I almost got arrested. Elodie bailed me out. She shouldn't have. Ike got away. I realized I was just the fall guy. He didn't help me. He left me. I tried to end it. That was two years ago. He tries to come back, every once in a while, like a disease. But he left me. He left me to take the fall for him. He…all that time." I laugh, but the sound isn't there. "Wasted."

"You aren't the bad guy," Yusei's voice is soft. "Not here."

"Yeah, but I sure do got a track record of it, huh?" My tone is bitter.

"Yeah," Yusei is still looking at me. "When you helped me. You stole my identity. You got me out of the Center. Why?"

"I owe you. I told you that," I speak defensively. "What?" He was just looking at me, not saying anything.

"That's the difference," He tells me. He lets go of my hand, grabs his plate, grabs my plate and my mug, and goes to wash them in the sink. "Not everyone would do that. Just the good."

I let out a bubble of disbelieving laughter. He's not looking at me anymore. His back is turned to me.

He called me good.

* * *

"YUSEEIIIII! KALLLENNNN!"

"Pipe it," I gently pat Rua on the head. He, of course, was dressed entirely in Ruka's wardrobe. Yusei stepped up beside me, his eyebrow raised at Rua.

"Rua!" Ruka stomped on her brother's foot, causing Rua to comedically jump in the air and grab his foot. "You're not even the one dueling!"

"Oh?" I'm genuinely surprised by this. Two people stride towards us- one of them an old ass man, and another I think I vaguely recognize if I squint hard enough.

"Yanagi. Himuro," Yusei greets.

Oh, yes. Himuro. Jack dueled him. Maybe. I think. There have been too many duels.

"Yusei!" Yanagi jumps onto Yusei. "Bro!"

"That's my cue to be anywhere else," I reach for Ruka's hand. "Let's find Rise." I half drag- half pull Ruka away while Rua shouts at us to wait for him. "You're dueling in the tournament?" I glance down at Ruka.

Her cheeks flush. "Y-yeah," Ruka tugs on her hair, elegantly styled in a braid. "Where else?"

"You changed your mind."

"I guess knowing that you're dueling too makes me feel better about it," Ruka says it so quietly, I almost don't hear her. But I smile. Because I did hear her.

"You'll do great," I tell her honestly.

"I'm kinda scared."

"Yeah? Me too." I look to my deck. "Wanna see your fortune?"

Her eyes light up. "Can you?"

"Who said I can't?" I let go of her hand to draw a single card. "Ace of wands," I show her the card. "It says it's time to do something brave. Take a risk. Assert yourself." I put the card back in my deck. Ruka's eyes are wide. "Shoot your shot."

A smile breaks out on her small face. "I'll try my best.

"If you get scared, there's no shame in backing out," I smooth her bangs out of her face. "No one will think differently."

"I don't know about that," Ruka shakes her head. "My Dad wouldn't be happy. He'd think we have a _"reputation,"_ she says the word with air quotes, "to uphold."

"Well, I don't have a Dad, so in my opinion, he can shove off," This causes Ruka to laugh. "Yusei and I, we won't think differently. Or Rise. Or Lucy."

"Promise?" She holds out her pinky. Just like Rise and I do when we have promises we plan to keep. She must've seen us do it.

I have no hesitation hooking my pinkie through hers. "Promise," I tell her.

"Hey, wait!" Rua has finally caught up. He's panting from the excursion of running, probably. "But I wanted to duel!"

"Tough!" Ruka crosses her arms over her chest. "_I_ was the one invited!"

"But I wanted to dueeeel!" Rua whines louder. "_Please_?"

"You'll have your chance," I bop Rua on the head. "Probably."

"Probably?!" Rua cries. "What does that mean!?"

"Rua, get out of my clothes."

"Ruka, why do you get to duel?"

"Don't be stupid, idiot."

"Look, there's Rise," I wave my hand to the most beautiful pop star to ever grace a stage. Rise is dressed in a pink and purple getup. She reminds me of cotton candy.

"Kallen!" She sees me first and runs over to give me a hug. "Good luck out there! Break a leg," She winks. "B-but don't really!" She seems to realize her words and covers her mouth with her hand. I laugh. "Don't really, you know, break a leg. Keep your runner upright."

"Say good luck, or _break a leg_, to Ruka too," I tug on Ruka's braid. "She's dueling up there."

"Really!?" Rise lets out a gasp. "Ruka, congratulations!" Rise bends down to give her cousin a hug.

"S-stop," Ruka is turning pinker. "It's just a duel."

"It's your very first duel in the pro-leagues! They grow up so fast," Rise leans against me and sighs. I playfully push her off. "Here!" Rise takes a clip out of her hair, one in the shape of a star, and places it in Ruka's hair. "For good luck."

Ruka seems genuinely touched. "Thank you."

"Why don't I get anything?" Rua pouts.

I tug Rua's ponytail. "There you go," I smile proudly.

"That's not anything!"

"Sure felt like it."

"Go backstage and get ready, both of you," Rise scolds the kids. "Kallen will meet you back there."

"Will we see you back there?" Ruka asks.

"No, but I'll see you _on the stage_!" Rise winks. The kids seem pleased with that. Rua runs ahead, but Ruka pauses to give me a wave before she follows her brother.

"Wow, I get alone time with the one and only," I smirk.

"I just wanted to tell you good luck. Again," Rise is holding on to my pinky. "I know I'm not supposed to have a favorite, but." She smiles so brightly. "I'm rooting for you. You'll win. I believe in you, Kallen."

I feel my cheeks start to turn red. I have to look away. "Thanks," I brush a hand through my hair. "You'll do great. Elodie worked so that the names and stats of each card pops up onto your screen once they're laid onto the field. You shouldn't mess up."

"You guys always have my back," Rise grins.

"Elodie programmed it, not me," I reach over my shoulder with my hand to rub my neck.

"Yeah, but I bet you reminded her," Rise has so much faith in me. "Good luck out there, Kal," Rise leans forward to kiss my cheek. Before I can say anything, she flounces away, whisked by her management and makeup team. My hand goes to my cheek, a lingering smile on my face that my best friend supports me.

"I'm ready," I whisper to myself. When I turn, I run into a different blond. Taller. Framed in white. Jack.

"Hey," I greet him. "Heard you stopped by my house."

"I did," He confirms.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" I look to the people around him. Mikage. She's glaring at me. I smile. "You're the openin' act, King."

"I came to give something back," In his hands, he holds my ring. The one I slammed onto my table. It feels like years ago that happened. I offer my hand out with a sly smirk. He takes it, carefully undoing the velcro strap to my glove, and takes it off. He slides the ring onto my ring finger, right hand. I try to take my hand back, but his grip only tightens. He gently kisses my fingers before allowing himself to let go, his hand giving me back my glove.

"That won't help the rumors," I put my glove back over my hand.

"I don't care," He reaches out to brush a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "I only care about you."

"Shouldn't you wish me good _fortune_?" I tease.

"Why?" He raises an eyebrow. "It's pointless. You don't need it."

That makes my chest hurt. In a. Good way? I don't know. Someone's calling for places. Jack brushes past me, briefly taking my hand, before continuing. He's on his D-Wheel. The Wheel of Fortune. I turn, just to meet his eyes. He nods at me before sliding his vizor over his eyes. I have more to say.

Instead, I slide into my place on the lifting platform. Yusei is beside me. Ruka is on my other side. I reach my hand out to Ruka. She takes it, just for a moment, and we share that second to breathe. She lets go first.

"Here we go," I straighten my posture. Yusei stiffens.

_"Good morning, duelists! Who's ready to start?" _That's Rise's voice over the loudspeaker. _"Hear that sound!? Welcome to the stage- The King of Duels!"_

The sound of an engine echoes throughout. People are cheering. I'm staring straight ahead. "_There's only one King. This tournament will prove that. Who's brave enough to challenge me?"_

"_You heard it here! Before we begin, let's remind the audience that only those lucky enough to be randomly chosen have been given that LUCKY ticket at getting their dream to go against the king! Come on, are you ready to see who's dueling!?" _The crowd screams. I have to avoid moving as the platform starts to raise. Ruka jumps beside me. Yusei's fists clench at his side.

_"Welcome to the show, Jill deLauncebaeux, Shira, Kodo Kinomiya, The Professor, Aki Izayoi, Bommer, Ruka Sakamoto, Kallen Rikiya, and Yusei Fudo!" _

The cheers turn to. Something else. Boos. Jeers.

At the sight of Yusei's mark.

I can't even tell what direction it was coming from. Everywhere.

Thief. Liar. Trash. Criminal. _Worthless_.

I want to step forward. Say something. Rise looks at a loss for words, her blue eyes wide. Before I can do anything, one of the duelists, Bommer, shoves his way forward. He's tall. Muscular. As dark-skinned as me. I'm bristling as he pushes Rise out of the way and grabs her microphone.

_"Listen," _Bommer hisses. "I am Bommer. I am one of the diverse duelists chosen to stand here. This man, this man you are seeing, was chosen in the same manner as the rest of us. Whether one is marked, physically or not, we are all the same. We are all duelists. There is no shame, not as long as you stand here. If you chose to stare with your demented view of capitalistic distortion of reality, I will not stop you. But your words achieve nothing but incite violence."

There's a voice. _"YEAH MAN, DOWN WITH CAPITALISM!" _

I don't have to guess who shouted. I imagine the orange hair. Funky overalls. Bright blue-green eyes.

Bommer seems satisfied with the stunned silence from the crowd. He hand Rise back the microphone, too forcefully for my taste. I'm glaring a hole through Bommer's head.

"What is it?" He says that to me.

"You push her again," I narrow my eyes. "You'll have more things to worry about than just a duel."

Godwin interrupts before he can respond. "Thank you for those genuine words of wisdom," He speaks directly to the crowd. "What I have prepared in this tournament is exactly what was spoken. I am Rex Godwin, the Director of Neo Domino City's Public Maintenance Department. I organized this duel festival with the dream of randomly chosen, diverse group of citizens, who are given the same opportunity: to have a chance to duel the King of Games. This is true quality. The difference in status, nor wealth, nor birth of origin, will matter to be a great duelist. They are here to _embrace their chosen destinies._"

The crowd is roaring. I wonder where he pulled that out of his ass. Yusei gives me a look. He's confused. Me too, dude.

_"And here's round one! Who will duel who?" _Rise has her mojo back. _"Looks like we'll start with Bommer versus Ruka Sakamoto, Jill deLauncebaeux versus Yusei Fudo, Shira vs Kallen Rikiya, and Kodo Kinomiya versus Aki Izayoi! But don't forget the Professor! Tune in for our secret, special duel to see him!" _

Special duel? What the fuck does that mean?

A team comes to lead all of us backstage into a viewing room. Ruka is up first in her duel, against Bommer. She gives me a small smile before the team leads her away. I barely have time to wave.

I need to check on my D-Wheel. Make sure it's. Ready.

I turn. Aki Izayoi is there. I blink.

"It's you," She speaks first.

"What about me?" I'm on the defensive.

"I keep…seeing you," Aki raises her chin in the air. "Who are you?"

"They said my name a few times, actually," I see Aki Izayoi, the Black Rose Witch, up close for the first time. "Guess you weren't listenin'."

"No," Her eyes narrow dangerously. "Who_ are _you?" She doesn't move.

Ah. I'd like to know too. More than anyone else.

"A duelist," I chose my words carefully. "A psychic."

"You were there, both times," Aki grips on to her arm. The one with the mark, I note. "Why? What do you want? Why did you steal from the Movement?"

"Oh, wow, too many questions," I let out a yawn. "Is that all?"

Aki grits her teeth. A hand is placed on hers. Divine. He whispers something into her ear. She doesn't look pleased, but she walks away. Divine smiles at me. But oh. It's so fake. I turn to walk away.

"Running away so soon?"

Those words make me stop.

"You won't be able to walk away. Not soon. Down, girl."

"I will not." Those words come so sharp. So easy. "I am no dog." My eyes flash as I turn my head to look at Divine. "And I will _not obey."_

With that, I walk towards the garage. My phone vibrates. Lux.

**THE L-WORD: ** _yo lucy fukin vanished should I call the cops_

**KR: **_nah that's normal_

**THE L-WORD: **_wtf kind of freaky deeky witchcraft is this_

**THE L-WORD: **_im calling the paranormal police i s2g i can NOT_

He attaches a gif of the Scooby-Doo group. I can't help but laugh. Lucy's fine. The girl knows how to handle herself.

Yusei is in the garage. Both of our D-Wheels are in there. He must have pulled mine in with his.

"Hey," He nods at me. "Your back tire was flat. I put some air in."

"Thanks," I appreciate him taking a look. "Mind if I?" I nod to his D-Wheel. He gives his silent approval just by sliding back. I jump in. "Loose chain," I note. "That's an easy enough fix. Just adjust the tension and…there," I grin as I step back. "We're ready for action." Yusei is watching the TV, the one that shows us live-action of the duels. "Nervous?" I ask him.

"No," His answer is quick. "I'm ready for this to be over."

"Yeah," I agree. "Me too."

The duel ends quickly. Ruka loses. Yusei has to go backstage with his D-Wheel to get ready to go on stage. He gives me a two-finger salute, which I return. I don't need to tell him good luck. He'll win. It's a turbo duel, of course, he'll cinch it.

Ruka is smiling bashfully as she comes backstage.

"You threw the duel," I bump my hip to hers. Her entire face grows hot.

"I did not!" She looks away from me.

"Mhm," I smile with my tongue in between my teeth. "Sure."

"Ruuuuka! You lost!" Rua is wailing. "Why? What happened? Why didn't you win?"

"Guess I didn't draw the right cards," Ruka says ominously. "It's not like I won't have more times to duel."

"Kallen?" Bommer steps up beside Ruka, who looks entertained by the entire situation. "May I have a moment?" His face appears neutral.

"Go ahead," Ruka encouraged. "He's really nice."

"If the kid says so," I nod to Bommer and follow him into an empty garage.

"Kid has strength," Bommer speaks first. "I spoke to her beforehand. A little one like her has no business in this scheme of Godwin's."

"You convinced Ruka to throw the duel," I raise my head. "So, you know."

"Know?" Bommer levels his gaze at mine. "I know this is all a ploy for Godwin. Where do you fit in?"

"As?" I raise my eyebrow. "As family, or as in me?"

"I'm _asking_ whose side you are on," Bommer steps closer to me. "We may be stepping stones in a plan larger than Godwin's pawns, but the man promised to help me rebuild my broken village. I need something more than an empty promise."

"So what can I do?" I put my hand on my hip.

"You may know Godwin better than most," Bommer hesitates slightly. "Is this worth it? Is he honest?"

Know him? I wouldn't say that. Honest?

"I can't say anythin' for him," I hold Bommer's eyes. "But I can speak for myself. Whatever happens, I'll make sure your village gets rebuilt. I won't let him cheat you. I promise. I'll promise on whatever god you need me to."

"No need," That seems to make him happy. "I choose to believe your words, Miss Godwin."

"Kallen," I correct him. "I prefer Kallen."

"Kallen," He repeats with a smile. "It seems it would be your turn to duel. The match has reached its conclusion." He walks away. I stare after him.

Yep. Totally sexy. I was right.

"Miss Rikiya, please report backstage," One of the production assistant's knocks on the door.

"Yeah, on my way," I follow behind with my D-Wheel until I'm on the platform ready to ride. Yusei won. I wish I could have seen him before my duel. Just to see him.

I take a deep breath. Holy shit. Holy shit, this is real. I'm not thinking about Godwin's tricks. I'm not thinking about all this dragon bullshit.

No. I'm thinking about how my dream, my dream of fucking making it big and going somewhere, is finally happening. This is my first duel in the pro-leagues.

"Tell me my fortune," I pull one card out of my deck. Page of Swords. An opportunity for growth disguised as a problem. A difficult circumstance.

I smirk.

Good. This won't be an easy duel.

I place the card back in my deck, put my helmet over my head, and rev my engine. As one last measure, I place a gloved hand over my pentacles necklace.

Hope you're watching, Jack.

The light that is supposed to tell me when to go turns green. I press down on the gas, flying forward into the air. I land to a crowd of people cheering. For _me_. For this loser kid.

_"There she is! The grace of fortune herself, Kallen Rikiya! Dueling her today is the mysterious cloud of mystery, Shira!" _

Rise. I love you so much, dummy.

Shira comes out. His D-Wheel isn't…what I expected. "Yeah, sure. Shira! Haha! You were tricked!" His cloak comes off, revealing someone I recognized.

_"Enjo Mukuro?!" _Rise looks confused. "_Looks like the opposing duelist isn't Shira, but someone else!"_

"_Kallen,"_ Godwin is over my headset. "_Do you approve of this new challenger?_"

"I do," My voice is clear. "Go ahead."

"_As you wish_."

"I'm here to challenge the King and get back my title!" Mukuro points his finger directly upwards into the air. "Starting with the King's little _girlfriend_! You ain't scared, are you, lil girl?"

"I accept your challenge," I declare. "It doesn't matter who I go against. I'll win."

_"Kallen has accepted her new opponent! They're at the starting line!"_

Red. Yellow. Green. _Go_.

I take off. I don't see anyone else, nothing else, but the road in front of me.

_"Kallen takes the first turn! Will she take it, or will she pass it off?"_

_"_You can have the first turn!" I smirk. "Impress me."

"Me? Impress the King's bitch? Look alive, sweetheart, soon you'll be eating my dust!" He draws his first card. "I lay Burning Skull Head and set three cards! Make your move, doll!"

_(Burning Skull Head is a Level 3 Fire Attribute Monster with 1000 ATK and 800 DEF)_

I'll kill him if he calls me one more pet name.

_"Kallen has given up her first turn to Mukuro! He's making his field with Burning Skull Head. What will Kallen do to counter?" _

**TURN 2: KALLEN RIKIYA**

**MUKURO**: 4000 (1 SPC - 2 SPC)

**RIKIYA**: 4000 (1 SPC - 2 SPC)

"I draw!" I look at my hand with a smile. "I summon The Emperor in attack mode!"

_(The Emperor is a Level 4 Wind Attribute Monster with 1850 ATK and 0 DEF) _

_"A monster card! Will this be enough to take down Mukuro's Flaming Skull Head?"_

"The Emperor attacks Burning Skull head! Go!" I whip out my hand. "Attack!"

"Not so fast, girly!" Mukuro reveals his trap card. "I activate Zero Guard! Burning Skull Head's attack becomes zero, and your _monster_ can't destroy it. While I'm at it, I play Doom Accelerator! When one of your monsters tries to attack mine, I don't lose any speed counters. In fact, I gain one for every five hundred damage!"

**MUKURO**: 4000 - 2150 (2 SPC - 4 SPC)

Why. _Why_.

_"Are you guys seeing this!? Mukuro gave up his life points to gain speed counters! He's flying ahead of Kallen! Can she catch up?"_

_Oh_, you know I will, beautiful.

"I place two facedowns. I end my turn!" I call out. He's building his speed counters up. He's planning something. I need to counter it, somehow. I saw his duel with Jack. That gives me an advantage, I hope.

But also. I'm a damn good duelist. I'll prove that. I'll show it to everyone.

**TURN 3: MUKURO ENJO**

**MUKURO**: 2150 (4 SPC - 5 SPC)

**RIKIYA**: 4000 (2 SPC - 3 SPC)

"I play the Speed Spell Summon Speeder!" Mukuro lays the card down. "Since I have four or more speed counters, I can special summon one Level 4 or lower monster from my hand. Come out, Skull Base!"

_(Skull Base is a Level 3 Dark Attribute Monster with 800 ATK and 600 DEF)_

"_He's using his Speed Spells to his advantage! What will he do?!"_

_"_But don't think you'll be looking at that mean mug for long. I combine my monsters to bring out my Skull Flame!" Mukuro laughs. "Burn, baby burn!"

_(Skull Flame is a Level 8 Fire Attribute Monster with 2600 ATK and 2000 DEF)_

**_"_**_Look at that attack number! Kallen's life points might be about to take a hit!"_

Yikes. 2600 ATK isn't a low number.

"Oh, I ain't done yet!" Mukuro lays down another card. "I activate Speed Booster! When I have more speed counters than my opponent, I can negate attacks up to the difference in our speed counters, and inflict damage equal to the difference in speed counters times a hundred!"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you can read that much," I laugh.

"Why you!" He growls out. "Skull Flame, take out her monster! Make it quick! We got a duel with the King!"

**RIKIYA**: 4000- 3250

_"Kallen took a hit! Can she recover?"_

"I play my trap card, Four of Cups!" I play my facedown card. "With it, it can take on the effect of any trap in either player's graveyard. I take Doom Accelerator!" I watch as Mukuro grits his teeth. "Looks like I don't lose any speed counters."

**RIKIYA: **3 SPC - 4 SPC

"You fell right for it!" Mukuro reveals another trap card. "Acceleration Zone plays when my opponent gains speed counters. Now I get five more!"

**MUKURO: **5 SPC - 10 SPC

_"He's racing around the track like a bullet! Can you see him, folks? Catch up, Kallen!" _

He's flying forward now, shooting ahead. Soon he'll lap me. New plan. "Kiss my ass buttercup! You're getting a great view of it. Hey, why not leave your boy toy and come play with the real deal?"

"Pass," I wrinkle my nose. "If you're done-"

"Hold up now, wait a minute, I ain't done yet!" Mukuro lets out a cackle. "I still got my Speed Booster's effect. You take damage by the difference in speed counters!"

I let out a growl. Truthfully, I had hoped he may have forgotten.

**KALLEN**: 3250- 2750

"It's my draw!" I forcefully pull a card.

**TURN 4: KALLEN RIKIYA**

**MUKURO**: 2150 (10 SPC - 11 SPC)

**RIKIYA**: 2750 (5 SPC - 6 SPC)

This turn. I _will_ show them.

New plan. We're going with it.

"I activate Eight of Pentacles!" I show the card I just drew. "With it, by removing two-speed counters, I can destroy one spell or trap on the field."

**RIKIYA: **6 SPC - 4 SPC

"What? Why are you getting rid of your counters, girly? Don't you see you gotta catch up!"

"No, I don't," I smirk. "Because I'm taking out Speed Booster."

"WHAT?!"

"_His dangerous card is out of the way. Now Kallen may have an opening!" _

That was out of the way. I don't have to worry about any attacking monsters. "With The Emperor in the graveyard, I have no monsters on the field. I active the Empress's special ability and summon her from my deck."

(_The Empress is a Level 5 Earth Attribute Monster with 1900 ATK and 0 DEF)_

"So I got rid of your King, and now you bring out your Queen. Ain't gonna help you out much!"

"You have no clue how my cards work," I smile. "With my normal summon, I bring out _The Lovers_."

(_The Lovers is a Level 2 Wind Attribute Tuner Monster with 600 ATK and 300 DEF) _

"Ah, I see now!" Mukuro is cackling. "You bring out your King, then your Queen, and now you're showing the world all you really are is the King's side piece!"

"Wrong," This time, I'm the one who laughs. "I combine my monsters. The Empress and The Lovers combine! You wanna see a Queen? I'll bring out one." I raise my arm into the air. "Come out, Queen of Pentacles!"

_(Queen of Pentacles is a Level 7 Dark Attribute Synchro Monster with 2300 ATK and 0 DEF) _

"_Kallen has brought out her first Synchro monster! But it doesn't have nearly the same amount of attack points as Skull Flame!" _

"Aye, that don't got enough attack to take out my Skull Flame!"

"Maybe," I'm not done yet. "With The Lovers' special ability, I can equip the card to a synchro monster. That card gains four hundred attack points."

**QUEEN OF PENTACLES: **2300 ATK- 2700 ATK

_"Now Queen of Pentacles can take down Skull Flame!"_

"Eh!?" Now Mukuro seems worried.

He should be. After all, this is just for show.

"I play my final facedown!" The hushed gasp of the crowd energizes me. "Three of Cups. With this, I can tribute one Level 7 or above monster from my field to summon any monster from my hand, deck, or either graveyard. Get ready, Mukuro."

"No matter what card you play, you don't stand a chance!" He taunts.

"You haven't seen the card I'm choosing," My deck spits out the _exact_ card I was hoping for. "I know you're not expecting this from some _little girl._ I bring out _The Devil!"_ I slam the card down on my duel disk.

(_The Devil is a Level 9 Dark Attribute Monster with 3000 ATK and 0 DEF)_

The entire crowd is gasping. Mukuro, for once, is silent. I understand why. The mere sight of the Devil is a lot to take in. It doesn't matter how fast he goes.

Because I'll catch up in other ways.

_"Look at that! Look at that showstopper! Kallen Rikiya, despite the odds, has chosen to get rid of her Synchro monster for something else!"_

"The Devil gains five hundred attack points for each Arcana in my graveyard," I watch the number grow. "That's counting Queen of Pentacles, The Lovers, The Empress, and the Emperor."

**THE DEVIL: **3000 ATK - 5000 ATK

"Five thousand attack points?!" Mukuro cried out.

"Go!" I point towards Skull Flame. "You know what to do."

The Devil lunges, easily destroying Skull Flame. Mukuro screams as illusionary flames circle all over him. His engine is steaming once he pulls over.

**MUKURO**: 2150- 0 (LOSE)

**RIKIYA**: 2750 (WIN)

"_Kallen Rikiya wins!_ _She's moving on to the next round!" _Rise is beaming down at me. I drive next to Mukuro, slide off my helmet, and offer my hand. Mukuro is frowning, but he takes my hand and shakes it.

"Damn good duel," Mukuro grumbles. "Man. Sure underestimated you, didn't I?"

"Yeah," I nod. "I'm not just Jack's bitch."

"No," He chuckles. "You aren't." He lets go. "Maybe I'll duel you again. That was good."

"Yeah," I agree. "Maybe." I give him a mock salute. I can't hear him anymore over the large deafening roar of the crowd. I turn around. My face is on the jumbo screen for the world to see. And I smile.

I am good.

* * *

**A/N: **

I keep dropping hints about Kallen's past. I'm a bit curious- but what do you think her real name could be- the one that everyone hints to? I dare you to leave a guess. If you guess correctly, maybe I'll leave a message saying if you're right ;)


	16. Head Over Feet

_"You've already won me over in spite of me_  


_I couldn't help it_

_It's all your fault.'_

_(Jagged Little Pill)_

* * *

"A comeback duel," I murmur with my hand placed on top of my pentacles necklace. "So. That's why the Professor was here. He was meant to duel Ruka."

"What?" Yusei gives me a side-eye glance. He's leaning against his D-Wheel, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"Godwin's whole plan is to find those _marks_," I point a black painted nail to my forearm. Yusei seems to understand what I mean. His posture straightens. "Ruka would be the only one he doesn't have confirmation on. He must have guessed Ruka would have lost her duel. He throws in some bullshit _comeback_ and puts in dipshit as the starring role."

"If he needs confirmation, why organize a tournament?"

"So he can get video evidence," I nod to the camera in the corner of the room. "Verbal proof isn't enough for him." I pause. "What do you think _my_ role in this is supposed to be?"

Yusei hesitates. "Is that all he sees you as?"

It's all I see myself as. The one who's supposed to find the Signers. I nod my head. "Yeah," I bite my lip. "Which…doesn't make sense. If that's the case, why wasn't I picked to duel Ruka?" Ruka was in the stands with Lux, Yanagi, and Himuro. I whip out my phone and try to call Lucy. No answer. That's unusual.

"Why does he think Ruka is one of the _Signers?" _Yusei practically spits out the word.

"Don't know," I shrug my shoulders. "I think she's one."

"She's a kid."

"Yeah, I have eyes. Destiny doesn't care. But. That's only four out of five. " I look up to focus on Yusei's gaze. "Who's the fifth? I was told by Godwin… " I trail off, my mind going off a mile per minute. "There's supposed to be five."

He doesn't have an answer for me. I didn't expect him to. I dial a number and call Elodie.

_"Kal?" _She answers on the second ring.

"What the hell is this about?" I start pacing around the room. Yusei's eyes oversee me as I move. I stick my tongue out at him until he glances away.

"_It was in the planned schedule. One duelist who has lost gets the chance to duel the Professor. If they win, they're back in the tournament. If they lose-"_

"Why Ruka?"

"_I'm not sure. Godwin said it was randomly chosen_."

Randomly chosen my fucking ass. There was more truth to Godwin having a secret Kuriboh tattoo on his ass. "Thanks," I breathe quickly before hanging up. "Go make sure Ruka is okay," I order Yusei.

"What are you planning?" Yusei doesn't object, which surprises me.

I grimace. "I'm going straight to the source."

Yusei seems to ponder this. "Go."

I don't hesitate. I turn on my heel and begin to race towards the elevator that would take me to the top floor. I don't notice there's someone in the elevator with me. Not until a hand sweeps down, pressing every. Single. Button. I open my mouth to swear, to no avail. I'm pressed against the wall.

"What did you do?" I glare up at Jackass Asshole. His hands are gripping my wrists, forcing me to stay where I was.

"Saving _you_ before you do something moronic," He growls out, his hands only tightening. I debate kneeing him in his stupid dick, but ultimately decide that would be _too_ mean.

However, It's not off the table yet.

"I'm _trying_ to figure out what the fuck is going on!" I shriek back at him, wrenching my hands out of his, and yet, I'm still backed into a wall.

"Don't you get it?" Jack's face is close to mine. "Her first duel revealed_ nothing_. I already had a talk with Bommer. You and I both know he asked her to throw the duel."

"She's a kid!" I spit. "The fact that Bommer doesn't want her involved in this bullshit makes him a smarter man than you, than Godwin-"

"She's a _kid_ involved in something bigger," Jack insists. "None of us have a choice. You heard Godwin's spiel. All of us, we're all involved in greatness, meant to take down the war against dark-"

"Don't tell me you believe in that," I push him away from me, but our bodies are still close. We're in the middle of the elevator now. "You? Working in a _team?" _I let out a dubious laugh. "You could never share the glory."

"And you could?" He throws it back at me.

"I'm not involved in _this_!" I wave both of my hands around us. "This, _this_ is all you!" I point at him. "And Yusei, and Godwin, but me? After this, I'm…I…" I don't know. I don't know what I'll do. I haven't thought about it. "Ruka stays with me," I decide on. "She's not getting involved."

"Does she have a choice?" Jack's voice is low. Something in me snaps. I shove him against the elevator. This time, I'm blocking him. He's against the wall.

"She's a _kid!"_ I repeat. "Is she supposed to throw it away? Is she supposed to say _hey, fuck going to school, I'm going to run away for some bullshit-"_

_"_She would not be _throwing her life away-_"

"Then what is she going to do?" I'm panting from yelling. This entire time, there's been dinging as the elevator doors open and close. "You can't tell me there's _no risk._ At least us- at least…" I'm almost crying. "_She's supposed to have a future."_

"The cards are dealt in her favor," Suddenly, Jack's hand is on my cheek. "Unlike you. That's what you meant to say."

"That's not true," I murmur as I lean into his touch. "You don't know what we're going against. You don't _know_ what will happen."

"And you do?"

"Yes!" I snap.

No. Wait.

Why do I feel like this?

Jack looks down at me, his eyes widening for a short moment, only hardening a second more.

I push away from Jack, backing up, and not stopping until my back hit the other side of the elevator. My eyes are wide. My hands reach up to curl my fists through my hair. My head hurts. It all. Hurts.

"What did you remember?" Jack is staying away. I'm glad.

"_Nothing_!" I shout back. I'm shaking. Why do I feel like this? Why am I so scared? What does she know, about the threat the Signers will face, that I don't know? "Nothing," I repeat in a softer tone. I release my hands from my hair. "I don't remember anything."

"Kallen," Jack carefully steps forward. His hands take mine, slowly. They move up, reaching for my face. His hands are gloved, and yet, I still feel the warmth radiating off of him. I grip onto his hands like a life preserver that will save me from my jumble of broken thoughts. "I'm here," He promises me. "I'm not going anywhere." His thumb brushes over my cheek, catching any stray tear that may have been there. "You can tell me."

I can't stop looking at him. Why? That's what I want to ask. Why me. Why settle for me. I'm not anything. I'm not. Her.

I'm not _good_. I'm not anything great. I'm just a beautiful face. I'm just a pretty face.

Jack was the one who said it best. I was a coward.

"I can't-" I try to back up, but Jack presses his forehead against mine. I stop. My body shivers from the contact.

"Tell me why," He demands. "I won't leave until you give me a reason _why_ this won't work."

I could list so many. I can't commit to anything- anyone. There are too many days where I have to convince myself it's worth it just to get out of bed and continue living, and yet, those are the days I have to drink four cups of coffee because if I don't, I won't even shower, I won't do anything, but those are the days I have to deal with my heart and thoughts _racing_ the entire day with no breaks until I take a pill to go to sleep.

I want to be famous on my own, not by being the King's Sidepiece. I don't need pity or handouts to climb my way to the top. I don't think I _deserve _to be with someone like him. Someone handsome, intelligent, _passionate-_

There's thousands, _millions_, of people who would want to be with Jack Atlas.

Why does he want me?

"It's me," I say, my smile bitter. "Why _would_ it work?"

"Because it's you," He answers so easily, his eyes never breaking contact with mine.

"You've been chasing me for years," It's there. The voice that isn't mine. "I've let you down. Again. And again." My eyes blur. "Why? _Why me_?"

"You keep running," Jack tilted my chin up with his finger. "I've followed you across an island. There's _nothing_ I wouldn't do to find you." He brushes my bangs so carefully out of my face. "It's you. Do you understand that?"

I don't. I don't understand.

My heart is vibrating. I don't think I've ever felt this many emotions at once. Jack's face comes closer to mine. For a second, I freeze. Then. I remind myself it's Jack. I close my eyes. And. I try to relax.

_"Something's happening to Ruka Sakamoto! What is it? Is she brainwashed? Is she hypnotized? Or did she lose her-"_

The elevator door is open. I shove Jack away from me to run out. We're on the top floor. I lean over the giant window in the hallway to get a glance of what's going on. Ruka is just. Standing there. Frozen. Speaking like it's. Not her. It's not her. I'm trembling. Jack puts his hand on my shoulder, but I rip it away from him.

"What the hell is going on?" I hiss out the words. Jack seems wounded at first, but his eyes quickly narrow.

"Calm down," Jack orders. That only pisses me off more.

"Calm down. _Calm down?"_ I gesture out the window to the duel happening below. "I'm sorry, I know _you_ don't give a shit-"

"I don't know why you think the duel would harm her. We need her."

"_You_ need her. Godwin needs her. I _need_ her to be emotionally unscarred!" I dig back. "Can you promise that?" I take a step forward, my fury seething out. "Don't act like you don't give a shit. If that was me down there-"

"_Do not._"

"Care now, don't you? Except she's a fucking fourteen-year-old girl." I glance back out the window. "I need to get down there." I start to run, but Jack grabs my hand. I look back, despite every part of my body screaming at me not to.

"_Kallen_," His voice is a warning. A message. He's angry. "I _do_ care," His voice is low. Frustrated.

I melt. Despite it all, I melt under his words. I know that I'm the asshole. I don't know how to stop being the asshole.

"If I met you first," I try to smile in what I hope is reassuring. "This would have been different." Before Ike. Before I was ruined. "You wanted a why."

Jack doesn't say anything. I don't think there is anything to say. He lets go of my hand.

"The duel ended in a draw," Jack informs me. I lean over the banister. Yusei is carrying Ruka out of the arena.

"The next bracket is out," I murmur. Yusei vs Bommer. Me vs Aki.

Psychic versus Psychic.

I have to go. I start to run off but instead chose to slow my steps. I want to take one last look at Jack.

He's staring back. I try to smile. I think it's more of a grimace. Jack nods at me. "I'm sorry," I tell him sincerely. There's too much to apologize for. I'm sorry. For being. Me?

This time I take the stairs. My nerves won't allow me to stand still long enough to stay in the elevator. I only need to go down to the fourth floor, I tell myself as I sprint down the stairs.

"Kallen!" Rise reaches me first. She's clinging onto my arm, her cherry lips pursed out of worry. "Have you-"

"Haven't been there yet," I take Rise's hand in mine and lace our fingers together. "Come on." Rise lets me drag her to the infirmary, where I _assumed_ Yusei had taken Ruka.

"Kallen! Kallen!" Ruka waved to us from one of the doors.

"Ruka!" Rise wasted no time in bending down to give Ruka a hug. Ruka squirmed, clearly uncomfortable by the attention. Yusei stood leaning against the doorframe.

"I'm fine! Stop fussing," Ruka whined as she tried to get out of Rise's claws.

"Yeah, she was probably just _faking_!" Rua crossed his arms over his chest.

"From what I heard, you were out too!" Rise whirled on Rua with a glare that made Rua race back into the room.

"Kallen!" Ruka began tugging on my sleeve. I had no choice but to give her my undivided attention. "That guy I was dueling against made me go to the spirit world, and I saw Lucy! She and this big dragon said the spirit world was in trouble."

"That's enough," I smiled and patted Ruka on the head. "I'm going to go get you some water," I said both to have a brief excuse to leave and to process what the fuck Ruka just told me. Thank the gods' nobody decides to follow me.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. It's a familiar three buzz vibration. I whip out my phone so I can send Ike straight to voicemail. The last thing I needed to hear right now was some slimy piece of shit tell me how well I did in my duel. I _know_, thanks.

"_You_."

I don't have to look up to know who it is. I shove my phone in my back pocket. "Me," I say back, a natural smirk sliding across my face. Not that she can see it. My back is turned to her. "What do you want? I can't imagine you wanting to shit talk."

"Did you ask Godwin to pair us together?" The Black Rose Witch questions me.

"No. Why would I?" Let's pretend, for a second, Godwin would _ever_ listen to me in a way that would interfere with his carefully crafted plans. I'm not an idiot. I may be family, but beyond that, I'm still a pawn he can use. "Just say it. We're both psychics."

I can feel Aki bristling from here. "I saw your duel," I continue. "I thought that cult you're in was supposed to _train_ you how to use your powers."

The air turns tense. I feel the build-up of power around us. For once, I'm almost chuckling, it's not mine. "Are you saying I duel rough?" Aki hisses out. "They _deserve _it."

"Rough?" I raise my eyebrow with a snort. I can only think of one situation where playing _rough_ is a good thing, and it isn't dueling.

"We can't avoid it," Aki huffs out. "You'll see. It won't be long before _they_ call you the same thing-"

"A witch?" At that, I finally turn my head to look at Aki. Her fists are clenched at her sides. My mouth tilts up, my teeth exposed in my smirk. "Didn't you hear the crowd? My victory, versus yours." I step closer, one step at a time, but keep the distance between us. "I won't hurt someone. Not even you. That's the difference, yeah?" I cross my arms over my chest. "I was trained by someone who went to Osiris. The Arcadia Movement trains weapons." Aki opens her mouth to argue, but I hold up my hand, commanding attention. "Ah," I hold up a finger. "Shouldn't you know best?" On that last beat, I turned on my heel and began walking away. I feel Aki's heated glare staring after me. I give a slight wave in the air. "See you tomorrow, Black Rose."

What did I come out into the hall for? Water. Water for Ruka. Water because I was hiding. Shit. My chance to shit talk distracted me from my mission.

Someone grabs onto me. For a moment, I think it's one of the Arcadia goons. There's no aura. I take a breath and force myself to relax. When I turn, it's Rise. I smile despite my nerves but freeze at the look on Rise's face. "What is it?" My voice is calm. I have to be. For Rise.

"Rua's gone," Rise's voice shakes. "We can't find him anywhere."

My phone is out in an instant, my fingers instantly dialing for Elodie. "Check every camera," I say as soon as I hear the dial tone stop. "Rua's missing. Can you find him?"

_"On it,_" Elodie doesn't skip a beat. _"Last seen?"_

"Fourth floor, med wing," Rise comes beside me and says into my ear where the phone rests. My phone vibrates in my hand. Ruka's calling.

"Text me when you find something," I tell Elodie before abruptly hanging up. "Yeah?" I answer Ruka.

_"It's me," _ That voice belongs to Yusei. I smile just hearing his voice. "_I'm taking Ruka on my runner to places nearby. Stay there."_

"Roger," I hang up on him. Rise is giving me that puppy-dog wide-eyed look.

"She's fine," I say dismissively to Rise with a shrug.

"Are you sure?" Rise purses her lips.

"Yeah," I nod. "I trust Yusei with everything I've got. Okay?"

Rise hesitates. "Okay," She nods. Elodie texted; at least, I feel the vibration going off in my hand.

**E=MC2: **_Looks like he's in the garage. Seemed pretty bummed _

"The garage?" I babble out loud, my steps already taking us towards the stairs. Rise follows behind quickly in her heels while I text Lux to meet me there. "What the fuck is he doing down there?"

"Was he looking at the D-Wheels?" Rise suggests. I tilt my head to think about it. "He might have overheard something. You know how worried he gets."

"Maybe," It's not a bad idea. If Rua overheard someone saying something about doing something, he wouldn't hesitate to charge in himself.

"Ah, how lucky I am! Did you see what they're saying?" Lux is already in the garage, his bleached hair spiked up with a massive grin on his face. He held his phone in his hands, some dating app pulled up. "You've already got at least _seven_ people pretending to be you to get di-"

_"_Rua's missing," I put my hand in his face to cut him off. This seems to sober him up, or at least, he puts his phone back into his pocket. I continue my stride to my d-wheel, my fingers typing quickly to run a diagnosis. From first glance, nothing seemed wrong. Yusei was out on his own. If there was something wrong, he would have noticed by now, and he would have told me. "There's nothing wrong," I tell Rise and Lux with a frown. "If Rua overheard somethin' about D-Wheels, it ain't mine."

"He ain't sabotagin' someone else's, is he?" Lux catches on quick. He raises a slitted eyebrow. I raise my own eyebrows in response.

"That wouldn't work. Kallen's next duel isn't a turbo duel," Rise picks at her nail polish anxiously.

"Jack wouldn't keep his runner with the commoners," I add.

"Yeah, but what about Yusei's?" Lux crosses his arms over his vest. Rise and I both pause, our heads clicking to meet the others' gaze as we both thought the same thing.

"Yusei's next duel is turbo," I realize.

"He went to Bommer's garage!" Rise is bouncing on her heels, unable to stay still. I press a button on my monitor to call Yusei's runner. The connection is busy. I swear underneath my breath.

"What's the update, chief?" Elodie joins our group. Fuck, we probably looked odd. We had Elodie in her pristine business attire as an intern, Lux is his ripped cheap punk, me in my dueling outfit, and Rise still dressed in her glittery ensemble.

"We think Rua's in Bommer's garage," I'm the one who answers the unspoken question. "Think you can-"

"Sent," Elodie grins cheekily as she presses the button on her phone. "His address, right? I assume that's what you want."

"Right," I brush a hand through my hair with a smile. "Mind giving Rise a lift there?" Elodie had a car. My d-wheel, as updated as it was, only let me take one passenger.

"Meet you there," Elodie agrees. Rise takes one look at me, hesitating, but I give her a reassuring nod.

"Are you gonna let me drive?" Lux waggles an eyebrow at me. I toss the spare helmet at his head, but unfortunately, he expertly catches the damn thing. I swing my leg over the seat and settle myself down.

"Get on," I rev my engine, fully intending on leaving without the asshole. Just as I start to drive off, Lux lets out a holler, his sprint swift as he jumps on the back of my d-wheel and sweeps one arm around my waist.

"Can you go any faster?" Lux teases. I snort. I would if I weren't following behind Elodie's car. I know this alley. It's a nicer part of the city, one where most of the most expensive garages are at. They don't hire anyone without experience, ha. Or _kids_, as I was spitefully told.

_"_Here!" Elodie pops her head out of her car and points to a plain-looking garage. Lux and I get there first. Even before Elodie and Rise catch up, Lux is already working diligently on the lock.

"That's _illegal!"_ Rise hisses.

"We got Elodie," I wave her off. "She said we're fine."

"She's not _an officer, Kal!"_

"Yeah, but she's the daughter of one. Close enough, yeah?"

"Definitely didn't say we were fine," Elodie chimes in. "I'm just pretending I can't see what you're doing, and then I'll pretend we found this place unlocked."

"Aaaaaand while y'all were yappin', I'm already in," Lux breaks open the mechanical lock. He cracks his fingers with a wide grin. "So. Who's gonna give me a thank you smooch?"

I respond by sticking my palm in his face and shoving him backward, my steps easily taking me into the garage. Rise follows behind, her fingers clutching mine tightly out of fear. "Found him," I announce.

"I'll kill him," Rise states as sweetly as a button. Yes, there was Rua all right. Passed out on the ground. The fucker fell asleep on the ground. Yet. My eyes sweep to the gigantic d-wheel of Bommer's. I want to inspect it, look over it, see what makes it-

"Got him!" Lux heaves Rua over his shoulder. "Better head out before the cops get called."

"I'll call Yusei-," I move to call Yusei on my d-wheel when a hand catches my shoulder. Based on Elodie's, Lux's, and Rise's terrified faces, I could only guess it was one person. "Bommer," I greet without moving. "You're probably wonderin' why we broke into your garage."

"Not so," Bommer moves in front of me and gestures to the cameras in the corner. He was watching the entire time, I wonder.

"Listen, we ain't here for anythin' other than the kid," I stand tall. "I'm sorry-"

"It's impressive you were able to break in," Bommer's tone throws me off my guard. "May I ask how?"

"Ah!" Lux lifts his hand in the air like a student waiting to be praised by the teacher. "That was me. Lemme tell you, I've broken into worse Public Maintenance places. Compared to that, this was a piece of _cake,_ baby."

"Is that so?" Bommer lets out a chuckle. "You'll have to show me your tricks."

"Okay, this is fun and all," I clear my throat. "Shouldn't you be pissed? Furious? For fuck's sake-"

"Walk with me. We'll take him home," Bommer takes Rua from Lux and begins to walk out of the garage. Elodie looks at me. I shrug my shoulders.

"Take Lux home," I tell her. Lux looks like he wants to say something, but I shoot him a glare.

"See you tomorrow, tomorrow girl," Lux salutes me.

"Careful, Kal," Elodie warns. I just nod at them. Rise takes my hand again. I squeeze once, let go, and move to push my d-wheel beside Bommer.

"You," Bommer seems to recognize Rise. She jumps in the air with a squeak. "You are the announcer, yes?"

"Y-yes!" Rise bows her head.

"Ah," Bommer looks inquisitive. "I see. You two must be close," He says, meaning Rise and I. "I must apologize for my behavior towards you. You did nothing wrong."

"Thank you?" Rise says it like a question. "About my cousin, I'm really really so-"

"No, don't," Bommer cuts her off gently. "I must say, he reminds me of my own younger siblings. And you," Bommer looks at me. "You remind me of _me_."

"How?" I ask. The sound of an engine interrupts the tense air. When I turn, a pair of arms are wrapped around my waist. Ruka. She peers from behind me and looks to Rua on Bommer's shoulders. Yusei lifts the shield on his helmet.

"Rua was sleeping in Bommer's garage," I state dryly before anyone can say anything. "Bommer is surprisingly not upset, and now we're walking to the twin's rich house so we hopefully drink away this day. Are you joining?" My smile hopefully keys him in that he has no choice. Yusei lets out a sigh. He sets his helmet underneath his seat and joins me in pushing his d-wheel beside mine.

"Why not?" Yusei shakes his head.

"What's happening?" Ruka sits on my d-wheel as I push it. I allow it, somehow.

"We don't know either," Rise tugs on a piece of her thick blonde hair.

"Tell me something about you, Bommer," I say through gritted teeth. "We need a story to pass the time."

"No, you want to know more about my motives," Bommer calmly points out. I don't disagree. It's true. "A trade for trade. You first."

"Name it," I banter back.

"How did the two of you first meet?" He gestures to myself and Rise. "I must say. The combination seems-"

"Odd," I finish for him. "I'm aware." I let out a sigh. "Crash landed here a while ago. Woke up in the hospital. Couldn't remember anything."

"How?"

"I found her," Rise speaks up. "She was…" Rise doesn't seem to know how to answer. "Well, she was on the shore. Just…in the sand." Rise has a faraway look in her eyes. "I was on my morning jog, and…I remember calling for an ambulance. I lied. I said she was my cousin, because…" Rise looks to me, unwilling to say anything else.

"Rise thought I was Satellite," I verbalize it for her. "Don't know if you know. It's illegal for anyone from Satellite to live here. If they thought I was from there, they would've shipped me off to the Center rather than a hospital."

"Why Kallen?" Yusei questions.

"I picked it out," The tips of Rise's ears turn red. I know why. It was the name of her imaginary friend before I came. A lonely girl with parents that were never there. Just like Ruka and Rua.

"Is that your story?" Bommer prods.

"Rise is my story," I feel the heat of Yusei's stare on my back. "That's all there is." I give Bommer a side-glance. "Pay up, buckaroo. It's your turn."

"We are here, are we not?" Bommer nods at the tall building in front of us. The bastard was right.

"Let's finish this inside," Rise decides for us.

* * *

Rua's in his bed. Bommer was amazingly gentle putting him there, and then for the kicker, tucking him in. Ruka, on the other hand, was another story. She wouldn't calm down until Rise had agreed to stay the night. That's where Rise was now- talking to Ruka.

I'm pouring Rise a glass of white wine. Red for myself and Bommer.

"What do you want?" I ask Yusei. He makes a face. "If you say milk, I'll throw this," I deliver the words sweetly.

He glances away. "I'm fine."

"Suit yourself," I put the wine bottle away. "You should hate me," I tell Bommer bluntly. "You don't. Why?"

Bommer sips his glass of wine. "Why are you dueling in this tournament, Kallen?" He uses my name purposefully. I blink.

"You promised a story," I remind him. "I fight because I don't _have a choice_."

"As I thought. We are alike," Bommer has a faint close-lipped smile. "And you, Yusei?"

Yusei pauses, probably to think about his answer. "Godwin has my friends," Yusei bites out. "They stay locked up until this tournament finishes."

"Yes. I can understand. I assume the two of you understand the story of the Signers," Bommer sets his glass on the table. "You see, my village is where the first battles took place. They say it's where the Signers, and the Crimson Dragon, originated. The first war against the Dark Signers and the army of light with their dragons. Growing up, I knew the myth well," Bommer's eyes scan Yusei's, searching for something none of us can outright see. "My village is gone. Godwin promised if I helped to expose the Signers, he would pay for the reconstruction. My younger sister and brother are there now."

"The Crimson Dragon," I echo. "Don't tell me you believe in that bullshit."

"How could I not?" Bommer counters. "Were you not there when it arrived in this city?"

My mind travels back to that moment in the KaibaDome- when Yusei and I dueled. I don't remember when it came. I just remember it was during my turn. I don't know _why_ and I damn well don't know-how. Without thinking, I reach for my deck attached to my belt and pull a card. Hanged Man upright. Bommer. This card means useless sacrifice. It's attached to Bommer. Why. What the fuck did this even _mean?_

"Leave her out of this," Yusei is strangely defensive over this. Bommer gives him a look. I set my hand down on top of Yusei's.

"It's fine," My voice is softer than I expected it to be. "I'm gonna- I'll go check on Rise." I move out of my seat and head towards Ruka's room. Before I can reach the door, a small hand drags me in. I let out a squeak, but Rise pushes me up against the door, her hand over my mouth. "_Shhhhhh!"_ Her other hand is over her lips.

"What the fuck?" I whisper back. "Rise, were you _eavesdropping?"_

"What do you think?" She blurts out. "Kallen, you don't really believe any of that, do you? Crimson Dragon, Signers, dark forces-"

"Calm down, fuck," I gently pry her hands off me.

"Kallen, that's my cousin involved in all this. And _you!"_ There are tears in her eyes.

"I'm not a part of this," I say quickly without much thought.

"You will be. You keep doing all these things you wouldn't have done before and-" Rise is almost hyperventilating at this point. "I can't be a part of that. What if something happens to Ruka? What if something happens to _you?"_

_"_I don't know," I say, only because I haven't put much thought into any of this. "But nothing will."

Rise is starting to cry. "You're changing," She murmurs. "What happens if you change too much? What if I don't recognize you?"

"I'm still Kallen," I tell her. "If I change, I'll still love you."

Rise takes a deep breath. I don't know what's gotten into her. "This is too weird," She shakes her head. "I don't-I _can't_ be involved. I'm sorry. I know I told you I'd be there, but…"

"I'm not asking you to be a part of this. It's not your war. It's not mine," I take her hand in mine. "It's theirs."

"No, but…" Rise looks like she's going to counter, but doesn't. She looks up at me with a bitter smile. "I want to be alone," She tells me. "I'll stay with Ruka."

Oh. Ouch. This is probably the first time Rise hasn't wanted me around her. I open my mouth to say something but close it just as quickly. I don't know what to say.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Rise hooks her pinkie through mine. "Okay?"

"Okay," I say, knowing there wasn't anything else to say. "Night, idol."

"Night, Kal," She gives me one last tired smile. I have to force myself to turn around and shut the door behind me. Bommer is gone. He must have left sometime while I was gone. It's just Yusei sitting on the couch.

"We're leaving," I proclaim to him. Yusei waits no time heading for the door. "Did you scare off our guest?"

"We had a disagreement," Yusei admits. "He trusts Godwin's word."

"A mistake," I snip.

"He doesn't believe that," Yusei presses the down button for the elevator. "Are we heading home?"

Home. He called it home. My insides tingle and freeze. "You're staying the night?" I blurt out.

"If you want me to," Yusei seems to have realized what he said.

The elevator dings. We both step out and head for our d-wheels. Instead of mounting them, we're walking side by side pushing them down the alley. I realize I haven't answered his question yet. "Yeah," I look and smile at the raven-haired boy. "If you want to stay. I mean."

"Yeah," He looks away from me. "I do."

We walk in silence. It's not tense. It's actually nice.

"Yusei," I say suddenly. He gives me his undivided attention. "I want to know a piece of our story."

"Name it," He's quick to answer.

"How did we meet?"

Yusei snorts under his breath. "You threw a wrench at me."

_"I did not_."

"Yeah, _you_ _did_. We were in rival gangs in Satellite. I was in the scrapyard- both of us had the same informant, I guess. There was a rare part found. I found it first. You decided to knock me down with the wrench, took the part, and took off. I didn't even know your name."

"Shit, you're making this up."

"Second time, you did it again. That's how we kept meeting. Every time, you'd say the same thing."

"Goodbye until tomorrow," The phrase comes into my head.

"The tomorrow girl," Yusei confirms.

"So. You're the one who came up with it," I can feel my face growing hot. I don't like it. I don't like this feeling. Yusei doesn't answer. "Wrench to the face. No wonder you've only got like, one brain cell."

"Says the amnesiac."

"You got me," We're both chuckling. It's nice. This is. Nice. _Nice._

* * *

I'm awoken in the middle of the night by someone closing the door. Normally, I wouldn't hear that, but apparently you can fucking hear everything when you're sleeping on the pull out couch in the living room.

I sit up, my eyes squinting in the dark. It's not that hard when the said person walking in has neon orange hair. Lucy's eyes were puffy, rimmed entirely in red. She sniffed.

"Luce?" I frown. "What's up?"

"Oh, you know. Spirit world is collapsing to shit. Dads say it's sick. Can't do anything, because, well. I don't know. Magic. I guess," Lucy scratches her arm. She's wearing an oversized sweater with a pentacle symbol on the fleece. Underneath, the writing states '_HEATHEN SEASON'. _

_"_It'll be okay," I try and reassure her. "Maybe it's the same shit we're goin' through."

"Yeah. Maybe helping 'ole red crimmy will help it," Lucy tries to joke about the Crimson Dragon. "I'm just...I'm…" Lucy's eyes tear us. She runs forward, throws her arms around my shoulders, and suffocates me into a hug. For a moment, I'm startled. Slowly, I bring up my arms around my friend and hold her while she silently cries.

"I'm sorry," Lucy apologizes with her face pressed up against my shoulder.

"Fuck, Luce, don't you dare say sorry for having emotions," I feel her laugh against me as I awkwardly pat her back.

"Kal," Lucy's tone is different. My stomach drops. I feel the mischievous air return. "Were you sleeping beside Yusei?" She leans back, her smirk present. "Did something _happen_ while I was gone?"

"You're evicted," I state plainly. Lucy covers her mouth over her hand to avoid cackling. She disappears into her room. Once the door shuts, I hear her loud giggles echo throughout the entire house. I would have thrown my shoe at the door if I hadn't been scared of waking Yusei. I drop back onto the pillows, my face hot and most likely red.

"_Hey_," Yusei says from beside me.

"Hey," I repeat back. "Did I wake you?"

"No," He yawns. "Dreams. We fell asleep."

"Talking, yeah," I lift my knees up to my chest. "Sorry."

"Stop. Saying that." Yusei is once again wearing my sweatpants and an old oversized shirt.

"No," I gently kick him with my foot. He kicks back. "Yusei," My tone is suddenly serious. "Are you scared about this? Any of this?"

"Can't think like that," Yusei's tone is slightly muffled by his pillow. Slowly, he pushes himself up with his hands into a sitting position. I'm hesitating. Yusei must have seen that. "Are you?"

"No," My response is automatic. Yusei is giving me a look that clearly says he doesn't believe me. Which reminds me. Now that he's awake, I take my shoe from the floor and aim clear for Lucy's door. It lands, creating a loud _crack_. There's more, louder cackling behind the door, like a witch's lair.

If Yusei found that odd, he didn't say so. "Yusei," I say his name again, just because I can. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Always," Yusei leans his shoulder against mine. I like the distant affection.

"My brother. I want to know somethin'." I grab onto my arm, like a float that will keep my head above water. "Tell me. I don't. I don't even know his name."

Yusei takes his time to think about his words. "Yusuke," Yusei looks down at me. "Blonde. His eyes are like yours, but nicer."

"Oh, funny."

"He wanted to be a doctor. Like your Mom was."

"Just stick to my brother. Please," I whisper, my voice faltering only slightly.

"I know the two of you were close. You used to always say that you'd never leave without him. You made me swear we'd build two d-wheels, and that you'd take your brother with you when you left." Yusei pauses. "He used to steal books. He found a library. I think he read every book he could find, twice."

"Why did I leave him behind?" I'm not asking him. He doesn't know.

"We all asked the same thing. I know he misses you," Yusei's hand rests on top of mine. "For a while, everyone was convinced you were gone. Yusuke said he knew you were alive. And then. I found the magazine."

"Stop," I tell him, unable to take any more information. "That's enough." My whole body is trembling. I blink my eyes to avoid crying, but it's unavoidable. Tears leak through. I jump when a hand, a thumb, manages to catch one tear that fell. Yusei's face is right in front of mine.

"If you want to know who you are," Yusei's tone is gentle. "I can tell you."

I take in a breath. The real Tomorrow Girl. I spent so much time running for her, only for her to feel like she was taking leaps and bounds to catch up with me.

My thoughts run back to Rise's words. On how much I've changed.

"No," I take Yusei's hand in mine to gently move it off my face and instead, into my lap. "Not yet," I tell him. "Right now. Right now, I'm still Kallen."

"Okay," Yusei nods in agreement.

"Okay," I repeat, only because I have no idea what else to say.

Yusei shuffles beside me. His hands are warm on mine. I didn't know I was shivering. Yusei's jacket is wrapped across my shoulders. Without words, I lean my head on his shoulder. His arm is around me. For once. I felt safe. Secure. Like I wasn't. Drowning.

I allowed myself to close my eyes.


	17. IN

_"And someday_

_If I don't stand out one bit_

_Oh someday, I may be normal enough_

_To fit in."_

_(Carrie: The Musical)_

* * *

"You had trouble sleepin' last night," Yusei spoke as he was making himself some ramen for breakfast.

"Yeah," I was painting my nails a fresh coat of black. Pharaoh was on the table next to my arm purring like a demon bulldozer. "Usually do."

Yusei was quiet for a second. I notice him transfer his noodles out of the pot and into a bowl. He sits down beside me, which is unusual. He normally keeps his distance by sitting across. "You're in the city," He comments. "You ever gotten that checked out?"

"Nah," I finished my last nail, my pinky, and inspected my work. "My existence requires that there always be at least six things wrong with me."

"Just six?"

"Shut up." I gave Yusei an evil look. I reached out and took one of his hands, not yet gloved, and smirked. "Lemme paint them."

"Just one," Yusei didn't seem surprised.

"Deal," I chose his thumb to paint a beautiful black. My phone starts vibrating on the table. Ike. I don't hesitate to shove the brick off the table so I don't have to see his name pop up. Yusei shoots me a look. "Don't tell me how to exist," I hiss.

Yusei looks lost in thought. "You're right-handed now, but your duel disk was built to be left-handed." It's not the statement I was expecting to come out of his mouth.

"So?" I took my time to paint his nail. Holy shit his fingers were calloused. Similar to mine. "That's just how it was. That's how I learned."

"Yeah. That's how I built it." Yusei rolls his eyes. "I recognize the model."

"Hm," I screw the lid back onto the bottle. Beside me, Pharaoh was tapping my deck of cards. I let out a quiet chuckle. "Yusei?" I let the question come out almost soft and thoughtful. Yusei turns his eyes to me. "How are we gonna get through this?" I set my mouth into a fine line.

"What?" Yusei furrowed his eyebrows.

"This. This shit," I shook my head. "The rest of the tournament. What comes after."

"Guess I don't have an answer," Yusei took his time to respond.

Pharaoh bats my hand. I finally look at him, only to see him meowing loudly as he bats at my cards once more. Fine. I'll see what they have to say. I reach out and grab the first on top of the deck.

XVII. The Star.

Yusei. This card represents him. Hope. Faith. Unshakable odds to a brighter future. I take a peek at him above my card. He's not looking at me. He's eating his food. I let myself have a secret smile.

"Alright, tell me my future," I announce to the table dramatically as I draw two sets of cards. II. The High Priestess, and the Two of Swords. I've never drawn the High Priestess before, but in my mind, I clearly see Aki. This is who the card stood for.

"Well?" Yusei is waiting for my answer.

"It's about Aki," I tell him as I set my cards down onto my deck. Pharaoh seems satisfied. He yowls until I pick him up to place him onto the floor where he saunters back to probably lay in my bed and sleep all day. "It's saying there's a barrier," I murmur. "A wall hiding the truth. Hiding emotions. I think…" I tap my nail onto the counter. "I think it's telling me to break it down." I frown. "How the fuck am I supposed to do that?"

"Cute braids!" Lucy exited her room dressed in only an outfit Lucy would wear. A neon green cropped top that stated '_NICE GUYS FINISH LAST' _underneath a sleeveless striped yellow and blue vest and flaming red shorts.

"Thanks," I gently patted my short pigtail braids. "Guess my hair got long enough."

"Wow, hey Eurydice!" Lux climbed in through the window and patted Pharoah's head. Full house. Nice. Yusei flinched beside me. "Ah, sorry," Lux swipes a hand through his bleached hair. "Braids. Brought back memories. Paint mine." Lux sits on the other side of me and sets his hands on the table. I go to work.

"Eurydice," I mused aloud. "She's the one who tried to walk out of hell. With her lover. It's a tragedy."

"You can remember the myth, but not that it was your old codename from our days in the Arsenics?" Lux snorts. "Go figure. You used to love mythology."

"Darn. That's all I remember," I mutter dryly. "Lucy," I lift my gaze to meet the green-eyed girl. She was chewing on an apple. "What can you tell me about Aki Izayoi?"

"The Black Rose Witch," Lucy says with her mouth full. She swallows. "Well, I'd definitely say she's probably the third most powerful psychic duelist I've ever come across. Mostly because she can't actually control her powers."

"Who's the second and first?"

"Not important!" Lucy rolls her eyes. "Just remember to breathe. Stay defense, not offense. And…" Lucy holds out her hand. She raises her eyebrow ever so slightly. My hand pauses when I go to re-dip the brush into my polish. Lux gives me that look.

"No," I shake my head. "I'll rely on what I have."

"It's not a lot," Lux reminds me. "You can't summon monsters. From what I saw in the stands, she sure as hell can."

"Guess I'll just have to be the better duelist," I state boldly.

"That might be the best plan," Yusei agrees with me, for once. "If Kallen exposes herself, that puts a target on her back."

"As a psychic. Yeah." I nod as I finish the final nail for Lux.

"That's such bullshit," Lucy wrinkles her nose. "One psychic goes crazy and suddenly all of us are witches."

"It's that cult y'all were talking' about, yeah?" Lux flexes his fingers to check out his nails. "That's what's makin' her wacko."

"So we get her out," I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest.

"Easier said than done," Yusei doesn't look convinced. "We're all connected through our marks. That's why Godwin is doing this- to expose us, and what? Create an army?"

Lucy takes on that serious look. She stands straight, her expression forlorn. "It's not a joke this time," Lucy almost mumbles. "You guys should've seen the spirit world. Something's coming. Something not so nice."

"Godwin isn't a good guy." Believe me. I'm his blood, and I'm still the first, second, and third to say that. "But what he's doin' isn't bad."

"You mean, besides how he blackmailed everyone?" Lux grins.

"Yeah, well, he's an asshole, but he's supposedly doin' this for the greater good." I tap my nail on the table. "We've only found four signers. Aki, Jack, Yusei, and Ruka." I let the implication sit in the air. "Who's the fifth?"

"Obviously they were invited somehow," Lucy is staring at me with a look I can't explain. "They're either dueling or in the stands."

"Yeah," Yusei is also looking at me. "Guess we'll find out."

* * *

"What did I do to deserve being ten feet away from the King?" I heard Jack step through the door of the waiting room I was using to work on my d-wheel. "I thought I had to wait in line."

"You're the exception," Jack had that small, teasing smile. I let out a snort and dropped my wrench back into the toolbox Yusei brought. Yusei was already backstage waiting to go on for his duel against Bommer. "Come watch the duel with me."

"I'll pass," I stood up and stretched my arms. "You? Sure. But that also means climbing upwards into hell to the evil clown and the even bigger scum lord."

"You can't _walk upward into hell_."

"From this angle, sure," I let out a laugh.

"Kallen," Jack takes a step closer to me and interlaces his fingers through mine. He's not saying please. His eyes were enough of a question as they peered down at me. They weren't soft. But they meant something.

"Oh _no_," I placed a hand on my head and sighed. "My legs have mysteriously broken, and now I can't move."

Jack looked torn between snorting or sighing in exasperation. "Whatever," He shrugged, and proceeded to lift me over his shoulder and walk away.

I smacked my hand against his back. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"You said you couldn't move. I'm moving for you."

"I'll murder you."

"Hm," Jack hummed. "That's shit."

"This is gonna be on the news. King kidnaps unwilling victim."

"I play a deranged girlfriend who threatens to kill the King of Games."

"We-we're not-!" My face flushes red. "We _are not _dating."

"Could have fooled me." Jack still hasn't set me down yet, despite our now arrival to the elevator. My body wiggles under his arm, forcing his grip to loosen. I manage to roll out of his reach and land on my feet.

"It's a damn miracle," I state dryly with a hand on my leg. "They work again."

"Convenient," Jack gives me a look with a raised eyebrow. "Kallen." The name doesn't come off as a question. Yet, I know he's about to ask something from me.

"Talk," I walk out of the elevator and lean against the railing. The duel is about to start. Bommer's d-wheel practically dwarfs Yusei and the Yusei-Go.

"The final round- that's meant for Yusei and I to duel," Jack comes up beside me. He's not looking. I can't stand to look at him.

My tone is monotonous, "Are those your words, or my Uncle's?"

"Mine," Jack states proudly. "You took the duel away once. Don't do it again."

"You like to say I'm all hot and cold. Here you are. Tellin' _me _what to do. Tryin' to order me around like I'm one of your little _girls_." I turn to him with a bitter smile. "Not very equal partnership, yeah?"

Jack's eyebrows furrow together. "That's not the point. That final duel-"

"My Uncle, no, _Godwin_, took away any fairness this competition had when he did what he did," I interrupted Jack and turned so I could see Yusei and Bommer take off around the first turn. "You're not takin' away the only thing I had left. _My _dueling. I ain't throwin' any duels just so you can get your hard-on for revenge out of the way." My eyes burned straight to Jack's. "I respect you. Really. If I win, I win. If I lose, you duel Yusei. If not, you duel me. If you ask again, you lose. If you respect _me _at all…" I let the words trail off.

Jack was silent. Slowly, quietly, he asked, "What would I lose?"

I swallowed back bile. "Me."

Jack didn't say anything. He didn't bring up the topic again. "You're confident I'll beat Aki," I change the topic.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jack shook his head with a slight snort. "There's only one outcome for the finals."

"Me versus Yusei," I finish for him. "That's it, yeah?"

"Yeah," He agrees. I take a deep breath. Without another thought, another word, I laid my hand over his. My fingers interlocked with his. Jack sucked in a breath. He tried to hide it, but I still heard it.

"What were we?" I feel like I'm asking this question out into the void.

"Does it matter?" His words almost come out bitter. "You've said so yourself. You're not that girl anymore."

"No, I'm not," I'm watching the duel. I thought it might've been exciting if my thoughts weren't consumed by the tall handsome blonde beside me. "That doesn't stop the feeling that any time I step away, it feels like she's behind me, like some kind of shadow. Like people have some kind of expectation of me, and when I'm not, it's my fault." I pause between my sentences. I register that Jack is staring at me. "I can't give anyone anything but. Me." I finally turn my head and smile bitterly. "Does that make sense?"

Jack's movements are slow. His thumb caresses my cheek, moving upwards to gently slide against my cheekbone. He pulls away, a tear stain dripping from his finger. Mine.

"You'll ruin my eyeliner," I attempt a joke. Jack relaxes his tension, his hand returning to move a stray piece of hair behind my ear. His hand pauses on the braids.

"I don't expect anything from you," His voice is gentle. "I have always wanted you. I made a promise to a different version. I'll do the same with you."

"What is it?" I blink my eyes. The sunlight is streaming through the open roof of the arena to directly shine on Jack, causing a halo effect that compliments his blonde hair. His eyes were intense but focused solely on mine.

"I promised you that wherever you went, I'd find you. No matter where you run, I'd follow. I promised I'd never let you push me away."

"Why?" I whisper out the word. "Why me?"

"Are you _fucking_ joking?" Jack's eyes widened. "You are passionate, intelligent, so goddamn talented, and you are single-handedly the most physically-" He stopped mid-sentence.

"Yeah?" I smiled. "Finish that."

"Kallen." His serious tone was back. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"You're a damn idiot, King," My words almost sounded breathless.

"And you're still too stupid to realize," Jack's face was right. In front of. Mine. "I'm in love with you. I always have been. I always will be."

I knew that. Some part of me knew that the moment our eyes met at that party a year ago. I kept pushing him away. Again. And again. I kept lashing out. I kept trying to be angry. I don't _know_ why. Maybe- maybe because I knew it would all lead to this moment. And I wouldn't be able to run or deny it. He's done shitty things. And. So have I. He's forgiven me every time. He's never held it against me. And I kept lashing out like the asshole I am.

Why? Why was I like this? Why couldn't I let myself _be_ happy?

I didn't know what to say to that. I don't think I could have said anything- nothing that made sense.

I could pretend Ike took away any chance I had- ruined me with our relationship of constant manipulation, entitlement, and abandonment. That was me. I let it affect me this much. I never let it stop hanging over me. Like her. Like my shadow.

For once, I did whatever the fuck I felt, with no thoughts about anyone else. I closed the gap between us. Jack let out a noise I couldn't describe, but his fingers raked against the back of my neck, almost as if he were restraining himself. I pulled back, gripping his lower lip between my teeth, and felt him swear against my mouth. My amusement was rising at the sight of dark red lipstick smeared faintly over his lips. Our eyes met one another. Jack let out a faint laugh like he couldn't believe what just happened.

"Did you like that?" My words were sweet.

"_Like?"_ Jack snorted. "Fucking shit, Kallen. You-" He gripped the air in front of him, trying to find words, but instead like out an irritated groan. His free hand slid from my neck to the mid part of my back. He leaned in, closer-

_"Yusei Fudo is the winner of the semi-finals against Bommer! Satellite's Shooting Star continues his winning streak!" _

_"Yusei, I must say well done…" _That wasn't Rise's voice on the microphone. I push away from Jack, but he seems absorbed in what's happening below, like how I am. "_I've lost. I have not lost my drive. I had plans to win this so-called tournament so I would be able to publicly expose during the ceremonies the horror Godwin has done. That is no longer possible. Here! LOOK AT THIS." _I could see Bommer below. The picture on the screen changed. A broken, ruined village. My hands flew to my mouth in horror. On instinct, Jack's arm came around my shoulder to pull me close, almost as if he could shield me from what was happening. He couldn't. I didn't want it.

"Bommer was fooled," I murmured. Jack's hold on me tightened. The Hanged Man. That's what I drew for Bommer. It was coming into effect.

"_This is my village! My home! This is where my family- my brother and sister- went missing. It wasn't an accident. Godwin did this. He used my village as a testing ground to summon the Crimson Dragon. They're gone."_

I see Bommer get back on his d-wheel. I want to do something, run, shout, do _something_.

"_KALLEN!"_ He shouts my name first. "_YUSEI! JACK! Don't trust Godwin. Avenge us. I'll settle things on my own accord. For my friends. For my villages. For my family. This pain brought forth- it will never-"_

I don't hear the rest. I go sprinting down the hall, where Godwin's office is, and throw open the doors. Yeager is hiding behind my Uncle's deck. Rex Godwin, my uncle, my only blood relative, is standing in front of the window. He appeared calm. Stone-faced.

A shadow comes closer, masking Godwin's face in black. I run forward to step in front, my hand outstretched, and my powers concentrating on the hurling object coming closer.

There's a crash. I'm forced onto the ground. The wind leaves my lungs, and for a second, my world turns dark. I hear someone whispering in my ear, calling me an idiot, asking why I did that, asking if I'm okay. Jack. I blink my eyes to allow the light- my vision- to return. There's blood on Jack's cheek. We're surrounded by shards of glass. I lift my glove to wipe the blood. "Stupid," I murmur. He's not looking at me.

He's looking at my Uncle, the Director, who grabbed that fucking spike with his _bare metal hand. _Metal hand. Not a real hand. He flings it aside as if it weighs _nothing_, fixes his collar, and props his hands behind his back. "My guests in the audience, please remain calm," A screen appeared in front of Godwin that portrayed itself to the entire stadium. "As the Director of the Public Maintenance Bureau, know that it is my utmost duty to protect and serve. Even at the exchange of my own life. The situation is being handled." With that, the projection disappeared.

"What the _fuck_ just happened?" I snap out from my position, still, under Jack. I hastily get to my feet, with Jack's hand in mine, and face my uncle. "You're part robot." I zone in on the hand.

"Who gave you the authorization to enter?" Yeager screeches from his spot behind the desk. With a flick of my hand, the metal spike lifted in the air. Yeager went back to hiding underneath the desk with a shriek. I let it drop back onto the ground when Jack hissed, "_Kallen."_

"I haven't been as honest as I hoped to be," Godwin admitted with that same cool look of indifference. "Niece, you are not the only one who has had a life-altering accident." Godwin flexed his metal hand.

"You never mentioned it," My voice feels hollow. I don't know why he wouldn't say anything to me. I don't know. Empathize with me?

"You came in to save me," Godwin notes. "Thank you."

I shouldn't have. Not after he murdered Bommer's family. Not after the shit he's done.

"Yeah," I say instead. "You're gonna let Rise off the hook now."

"Will you still complete your mission?"

"Guess you'll have to trust me," I counter. Godwin seems appeased by that. He nods.

"We have a deal," He agrees.

I let out a shuddery breath. The maintenance crew comes in for the window, with Elodie leading. When she sees me, it looks like she wants to throw her arms around my neck. But she doesn't. This is Professional Elodie.

"Miss Rikiya, due to the disturbance of our last duel, your duel will be starting in five. Your d-wheel is already set up backstage. Will you be ready?" Elodie bites her lip, a telltale sign of her concern. Jack's hand in mine squeezes once. Reassuring.

"Let's hit it," I start to follow her out. Jack pulls me back, his arm wrapping around my waist, and kisses me. My life feels like it's being pulled. No. I feel like I'm gaining life. When I pull back, I'm smiling.

"Good luck," He tells me.

"I don't need it," I say back cheekily, before leaning forward to teasingly bite his lower lip. Jack lets out a growl, but when he reaches for me, I'm already four steps ahead. "See you later, King," I give him a mock salute. He's smiling. For a second I think. He almost looks bashful. I'm imagining things.

"Don't," I say to Elodie as we're walking down the hall.

"I didn't say anything," Elodie almost sings out the words. "Rise is on call. She's worried."

"Give," I stretch out my hand. Elodie puts her headset in my hands. I quickly throw it over my head. "Yeah?"

_"Kal, oh my gods I'm so sorry, are you okay-"_

_"_Breathe, I'm fine," I roll my eyes. "Are we okay?"

"_Yeah! Of course, we're okay. I'm sorry about yesterday. I mean, I'm not, but also I don't want us to be bad. Are we okay?"_

"We're okay. I get it." And I do. This is weird. All of this is weird. "I'm about to head onstage. See you after?"

"_Obviously_! _Love you, kill it! But not literally!"_

I hand the headset back to Elodie. "How are you holding up?" Elodie looks worried.

"By ignoring anything that's happening," I respond with a dry tone. "And then I don't sleep. Just to process it all."

"Kal, seriously, if you need to talk, just let me know."

Ah yes. I would love to talk about how I'm not sure about my feelings for someone who's in _love _with me, how both of the people I care about are puppets for both Godwin and some mystical bullshit, and how I'm somehow a part of this. Real easy to talk about.

"I'm fine," Those words come out of my mouth instead. "I'm always fine."

Elodie rolls her eyes. We're now backstage. Someone hands me my duel disk with my deck attached. I pull a card, just to give me an idea of what was going on. XXI. Judgment. Neat. Someone's actions were going to be judged. Good or bad.

I take a deep breath. I close my eyes to focus on what's happening.

"Kallen," My name is called out. I turn to see Yusei. He gives me a thumbs up. I give him one back.

My platform rises to the duel field. The crowd is cheering my name. Aki's already positioned across from me. That energy comes swirling in. There's no fear. No anxiety. I would win.

_Get ready! The final conclusion for the semi-finals begins! The Black Rose Witch- Aki Izayoi- versus the grace of Fortune Kallen Rikiya! Duel Start!_

I nod at her to go first. Aki pulls the first card of the duel. "My turn," She announces.

**ROUND 1: IZAYOI**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP**

"I place Wall of Ivy in defense mode," Aki sets the card down.

_(Wall of Ivy is a Level 2 Earth Attribute Monster with 300 ATK and 1200 DEF)_

"I place one card facedown and end my turn," Aki keeps that calm, cool facade as she glares in my direction. I smile. Wall of Ivy. I know that card when I had to play a plant-based deck back in the Academy for tests. I can guess the strategy she's planning. When a card attacks Wall of Ivy, the opponent automatically gets a token that when removed from the field, removes three hundred life points. Combined with a facedown…I needed to counter.

"My turn," I draw my card.

**ROUND 2: RIKIYA**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP**

I don't have to look at the card I just drew. I only know I have to play it. "I summon The High Priestess in attack mode," I lay the card down.

_(The High Priestess is a Level 2 Light Attribute Monster with 1300 ATK and 800 DEF) _

"High Priestess attacks Wall of Ivy," I stretch out my hand. "_Upright vision." _The High Priestess takes her staff and bashes in Wall of Ivy, destroying it. An Ivy Token appears on my side of the field.

"When Wall of Ivy is attacked, an Ivy Token-"

"Appears on my side of the field. Yeah. I see that," I mark off for Izayoi. "Can I finish?"

Aki grits her teeth. My smirk only grows. "I lay one card facedown and end my turn."

"My draw," Aki pulls a card.

**ROUND 3: IZAYOI**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP**

_What surprises does the Black Rose Witch have this time? We've seen her strategy with summoning tokens before! I think we've seen the calm before the storm!_

"I activate the trap Cursed Ivy," Aki flips over her facedown card. "With it, I bring back my Wall of Ivy and equip this card. I end my turn."

"Useless," I murmur. Her eyes twitch. "That's all you got?" I mock. "It's my turn," I pull a card.

**ROUND 4: RIKIYA**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP**

I could sacrifice the Ivy Token and take the damage. A better idea forms in my mind.

I look up from my cards. "I tribute The High Priestess to bring out The Hanged Man in attack mode."

_(The Hanged Man is a Level 5 Dark Attribute Monster with 1800 ATK and 0 DEF)_

_Kallen chose to tribute her own monster instead of the Ivy Token! Was that the right decision? _

"The Hanged Man attacks Wall of Ivy."

"You'll receive three more Ivy Tokens on your side of the field."

"Gross," I blurt out as my entire field is now full of fucking weeds. I wouldn't be able to summon any more monsters without backing them out. Not that I needed to. Not if I could guess Aki's next plan.

"Gross?" Aki's eyes narrowed.

"I said what I said. Turn end." I held my head up high. "Your move."

_It's a slow start! I don't think this will last forever, though!_

**ROUND 5: IZAYOI**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP**

Aki took a moment to look at her cards. "Gonna go, witch?" I goaded her. I saw the spike in her power flare. That made me laugh. "You really don't get it," I shook my head. "I bet you never _once_ thought about helpin' anyone with what you got."

"I don't owe humanity a thing," Aki snarls.

"Go ahead. Keep on bein' a pawn over a human." I smile. "That's all you're good for, yeah?"

_The tensions are rising! Will Aki take the bait?_

"I lay one card facedown. From my hand, I play Seed of Deception," Aki plays the spell card. "I special summon one Level 2 or below plant type monster from my hand. I summon Dark Verger. That won't last for long. I tribute Dark Verger to summon Rose Tentacles!"

_(Rose Tentacles is a Level 6 Earth Attribute Monster with 2200 ATK and 1200 DEF) _

"A pawn?" Aki echoes my insult. "No. I am _not a pawn_. Rose Tentacles gains an additional attack for every plant type monster my opponent controls. For each card destroyed, you lose three hundred attack points."

_Kallen already loses attack points for every Ivy Token destroyed! With Aki's effect, that's six hundred life points for every Ivy Token!_

"I start by destroying The Hanged Man. Rose Tentacles, attack. Thorn Whip!"

**KALLEN: 4000 LP - 3600 LP**

My hair blows in the wind created by Aki. If she seems surprised her powers had little effect, she didn't let it show. She probably assumed she was saving it for the main course.

"Now for the rest of your monsters," Aki had almost a maniacal smirk. "Rose Tentacles, go!"

Rose Tentacles removed all of the Ivy Tokens from my side of the field. My eyes narrowed as I felt the thorns come close, but none touched me. Aki's eyebrows rose. She glanced down at her duel disk and must have gasped at seeing how my life points didn't drop.

**KALLEN: 3600 LP - 6000 LP**

_What?! Did Kallen flip the duel on its head?!_

"Impossible," Aki spit out the words.

"During my opponent's turn when they activate a card effect that would cause damage, I can remove the High Priestess from my graveyard so I gain life points instead," I raise my eyes to meet Aki's. "You're in the pro-leagues now. I don't know what you expected, Izayoi, but I'm not fucking stupid to fall for a trap like that."

"You-!" She stretched out her hand, but I held my own up.

"I'm. Not. Finished." I stress the words. "When The Hanged Man is sent to the graveyard, the monster who took him out loses one thousand attack points until my end phase."

**ROSE TENTACLES: 2200 ATK - 1200 ATK **

_Kallen has managed to turn a painful outcome to her side! Look at her go!_

"Is your turn done?" I asked nicely. Aki didn't answer. I took that as a yes.

"Draw," I pulled my card.

**ROUND 6: RIKIYA**

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP**

**RIKIYA: 6000 LP**

I could be more liberal with my actions now. I had life points to spare. "I summon The Sun in attack mode," I lay the card down.

_(The Sun is a Level 4 Light Attribute Monster with 1500 ATK and 1200 DEF) _

No wasting time. "The Sun attacks Rose Tentacles. Avoid this." I stretched out my hand. The Sun moved forward, destroying Aki's monster.

**IZAYOI: 4000 LP - 3700 LP**

"I got the first blood," I smiled at Aki. "Are you pissed?" The tension rises. I feel the heat from my pentacles necklace against my throat. "I know how much you like damage."

"Shut up," Aki's voice is low.

"Why?" I counter. "Tell me I'm wrong." There's a beat. A pause. "You can't," I raise an eyebrow. "Because why else do it?" I stare at her, up and down, while she does the same to me. "Turn end," I announce.

_Aki has no monsters on the field! What will she do this round?_

**ROUND 7: IZAYOI**

**IZAYOI: 3700 LP**

**RIKIYA: 6000 LP**

"You don't know a single thing about me," Aki's voice is shaking. Not from fear. "I reveal Ivy Shackles! All face-up monsters become plant-type monsters. Now I summon Copy Plant!" The small bulb appears on her side of the field. "Copy Plant can target one of _your_ monsters and become equal levels."

Hey! That's my power! Goddamn, that card should've been mine.

I only have one monster on the field to copy. The Sun. A level four.

"When I control a plant-type tuner monster, Dark Verger can be special summoned from my graveyard. They won't stay for long." Aki's eyes were alight. "Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

Aki's beautiful dragon arrived in a flurry of rose petals. She spread her wings, causing a roaring wind to soar. I lifted my arms in front of my face to block out the wind, but I could feel my feet starting to slide back. The crowd screamed in horror. Aki seemed displeased when I positioned myself back to dueling mode.

_Aki hasn't played her ace monster yet, Black Rose Dragon! This is a first! What will be in Kallen's future? Can she counter?_

"By removing Wall of Ivy from play, I have the ability to reduce your monsters attack points to zero."

**THE SUN: 1500 ATK - 0 ATK**

This was going to hurt. A lot.

"Attack! Black Rose Flare!"

**RIKIYA: 6000 - 3600 LP**

I was thrown onto the ground several feet behind, rolling eventually to a stop on my side. It took me a second to come to my senses. All I felt was anger. Fury. I wanted to do the same. My hand went to rest on my pentacles necklace, to yank it off, to show her the same fucking thing I just felt-

I saw my glove. There was dried blood. Jack's. When he pushed me aside. Just because he didn't want to see me hurt. That arrogant, selfish man putting himself at risk just for _me_.

Rise was talking. The crowd was shouting. Some for me. Some at Aki. I didn't care about anyone else. I looked up Aki, her grin wide, her eyes burning. She was sixteen. A kid. I look at her and see…Me. That was me at that age. I took my time getting back onto my feet. And I laughed. That must have thrown her off.

"We're so goddamn alike," I tell her genuinely. Her eyes widened in response. "I think that's why I look at you, and I get _pissed." _I point my finger at her. "That Arcadia Cult didn't create a monster. _You_ did. You allow it. You _choose_, over and over, to lash out because you can't fucking accept that _someone_ might like you for something other than what you are!" I throw my arms out to my sides. "You're not a monster. You're a damn kid who doesn't know any better."

"You know _nothing!"_ Aki snaps. "Stop it!"

"I know _nothing_," I echo back hotly. I laugh out of sheer disbelief. "I know _nothing_," I repeat, the indignation heard fully through my tone. "You run because all the kids at school call you a freak. You meet a man who promises you the world. Says he _gets you_, he'll help control your powers, he's not like the other _commoners_. Then you do _'missions_' for him. You hurt people. You know what you're doing. And you don't care. Because he loves you for it." I smile. It's not real. It's full of pain. "Is this my story, or yours?"

Aki puts one foot behind her like my words were a force of wind. "I lay one card facedown and end my turn," Her words are quiet.

"It's my turn!" I forcefully draw a card.

**ROUND 8: RIKIYA**

**IZAYOI: 3700 LP**

**RIKIYA: 3600 LP**

"Once per duel, I can summon The Sun from my graveyard when there are no other cards on my side of the field. Now, I summon the Queen of Cups! But she's not staying for long." My eyes burn as colors swirl above me. "There's only one road to destiny. It's this. It's what we create with the cards we hold. Synchro summon! Come forth, my Arcanite Dragon!" My ace card appears on the field. Aki immediately doubles over gripping her arm painfully. I see the outline of a red mark appear. Her Signer mark.

_Kallen summons her ace monster, Arcanite Dragon! This duel is increasing in excitement! _

"D-damn," She murmurs out the words. "This mark…this _destiny_…" She snarls out the word like it was poison. "It's taken everything from me."

"It's offering you a home," I take a step forward. "Friends who share the same path as you. It's giving you the chance to _connect_ with people like you."

"Like me?" Aki shakes her head. "You heard everyone. I'm a witch. I'm a monster carved by this mark."

"Don't you dare," My tone is cold. "That mark you share is connected to people I care about. They are _not_ monsters for it." My glare at her. She's not looking at me. "Arcanite Dragon, attack Black Rose Dragon! Arcane Fire!"

"I activate my trap card, Rose Blizzard! Your dragon is forced into defense more. The attack is negated." Aki drops her hand on her arm.

"I end my turn," I step back, dissatisfied.

**ROUND 9: IZAYOI**

**IZAYOI: 3700 LP**

**RIKIYA: 3600 LP**

"We are not alike. You're wrong. I _hate_ myself. I am the monster I created." Aki is holding a mask in her hands. "This isn't me. It's a version I created. She doesn't care if she destroys. Divine taught me I don't have to think like that. I don't _have_ to think. I could just be. Me. Those words saved me."

"He's _using _you," I tried to knock some sense into her. "You think I didn't hear those words? You think I wasn't told _don't think, let me do it for you, it'll be okay._ That's not how it works." I took a shaky breath. "You have to think for yourself. Otherwise, you are _not _yourself."

"Then I don't want to be! Myself." Aki was looking hopelessly down at the mask in her hands.

"Gods, fuck you," I'm shaking my head. "You _know _who you are. You don't need anyone else telling you. You're Aki Izayoi."

I'm envious of her.

"No. I'm the Black Rose Witch. I won't think of anything anymore. I can't. It hurts. I'll only just feel."

"Reality hurts. That's how it is," I want to reach over and shake her. "That's how we know we're alive."

"No. I don't care." Aki slips the mask over her face. "Divine will think for me. He will live for _me_."

"You _stupid_-" I want to scream. "You selfish idiot. This doesn't make you happy. It makes _him_ happy. Who are you? Who are you without Divine, without that ugly mask? Who are you really?"

These are the questions I wish someone had asked me two years ago. Before Ike. During Ike. After Ike.

"I activate Magic Planter. I send one spell card I control to the graveyard, and I draw two cards. I lay one card face down." Aki's voice is monotonous. Cruel.

I didn't want to do this. But goddamn, I will.

"I activate my trap card, Eight of Swords," I flip the card over. "I chose one monster on the field to destroy. We both take damage equal to its attack."

"If you get rid of Black Rose Dragon, I'll only bring it back," Aki argued.

"I know," I smile. "I destroy my Arcanite Dragon."

"_What_?" Aki seemed shocked behind the mask.

Eight swords shot up and pointed at Arcanite Dragon. She let out a terrifying roar. She was destroyed, the shine of her remains targeting both of us.

**IZAYOI: 3700 - 1300 LP**

**RIKIYA: 3600 - 1200 LP**

_What's this!? Kallen just destroyed her own ace monster! What's her strategy? _

"When Arcanite Dragon is destroyed, she destroys as many monsters on the field as possible," I state. Black Rose Dragon is destroyed. Aki takes a moment to comprehend what just happened. I assume, anyway. I couldn't tell behind that idiotic mask.

"I play my trap card, Wicked Rebirth! By paying eight hundred life points, Black Rose Dragon is returned to my side of the field!"

Ah. That's what she meant.

**IZAYOI: 1300 - 500 LP**

_Aki has her dragon back, but Kallen's field is open!_

"Black Rose Dragon, attack-"

"By discarding Strength from my hand, I negate any battle damage caused by a direct attack," I cut her off, my words bored, my smile lazy. "As you were saying?"

Aki growled. "I lay one card facedown. Turn end."

**ROUND 10: RIKIYA**

**IZAYOI: 500 LP**

**RIKIYA: 1200 LP**

That card I pull. It tells me all I need. A smile jerks on my lips. Rad. "I play the Fool in defense mode! But I'm not done. By removing from play a level five or above monster card, I bring Arcanite Dragon back to my field. Thankfully, The Hanged Man volunteers." My dragon is back on my field. Right next to me. Me. The Fool. "Page of Cups wants to join. When a card is normal summoned this turn, he can be special summoned from my hand." The air around us feels hot. I know what I need to do. The same card I played earlier.

"It's time to end this," I announce not to the crowd, but to Aki. "We're not having fun. I'm not. You're not." I pause. "This is over, Izayoi. You think you hate yourself? You aren't the only one." I held up my hand. "The only way to get past is to _deal _with it. You can't run. You get better."

"There's nothing for me to _repent," _Aki cackles. "I know who loves me. That's enough."

"Fuck, he doesn't love you! He's using you. You aren't the villain in this story." And neither was I. "We were both goddamn victims to someone who wanted power." And I said it. I finally said it. My fist clenched in my hand. I directed my power, cracking the mask in half. Aki let out a shriek. "The Fool combines with Page of Cups and Arcanite Dragon! Come, my monster! Show yourself! I Synchro summon _Judgement!"_

_(Judgement is a Level 9 Light Attribute Monster with 2900 ATK and 2900 DEF)_

_A new monster has appeared! Is this the end of the duel? _

"There's only one outcome. I told you this was over." My eyes narrowed as I pointed to Black Rose Dragon. "Judgement. Attack Black Rose Dragon. Show her the truth. Upright war."

Judgment flung and attached itself to Black Rose Dragon. The dragon disappeared in a screech of petals left behind. The rest of Aki's mask came flying off her face, revealing a sobbing sixteen-year-old girl underneath.

"I-I play Ground Capture!" Aki's trap is revealed. "I halve the battle damage!"

**IZAYOI: 500 - 250 LP**

"I'm sorry. It's over." I move my steps closer to Aki. "Judgement's special ability activates. He inflicts damage equal to the attack of the destroyed monster."

"No! _No!"_ Aki drops to her knees.

**IZAYOI: 250 - 0 LP **

**IZAYOI: LOSE**

**RIKIYA: WIN**

"H-help me," Aki is crying. I offer my hand down to her. She looks on helplessly.

"Get up," I tell her. "You can sit there and cry all day. Or you can choose to fight for yourself."

Aki looks torn. Slowly, she takes my hand and staggers to her feet. I can't describe the look in her eyes. Just a kid. Just a damn kid, I tell myself.

Then I'm being pushed away. Divine steps forward and throws his coat over Aki. She's limp in his arms. He doesn't say a word, just glares at me as he steps out of the arena. I'm alone.

_Kallen Rikiya has just won the duel! She's going on to compete in the finals against Yusei Fudo for a chance to duel the King himself, Jack Atlas!_


	18. You Can't Bring Me Down

_"There's just no way that the two of us can work out_

_Because there's too much pain _

_And all I feel is hurt now _

_No pretending this ending is where we are."_

_(I Could Use a Drink: The Songs of Drew Gasparini) _

* * *

"Looks like you caused enough damage," Yusei spoke as he picks up his torque wrench. "They're still workin' on fixin' the arena."

"Wasn't me," I'm biting the nail on my thumb anxiously.

"You pushed it."

"Ain't my fault she's got anger issues," I turn to look at Yusei. He's not looking at me. We're both ignoring the elephant in the room. Not anymore. "Yusei," I say his name.

Yusei pauses. He sets down the wrench with a sigh. "Yeah?" By his tone, he knows exactly what I want to talk about.

"We're dueling," I remind him. He's being so nonchalant about this whole ordeal to the point I almost believe he forgot. "It may happen again."

The Crimson Dragon.

"I have to believe it won't," Yusei meets my eyes. "There are people we both care about here. We know what might come. That means we can stop it."

"I'm glad you're so positive," My remark was more bitter than I intended.

"I have to believe that we'll have our duel," Yusei shrugs. "With no interruptions."

"After the last few weeks, that sounds pretty insane to ask for," I laugh as I shake my head. My black locks hang in front of my face. I hastily shove them behind my ear. "You know. That being your only wish."

"No," Yusei blurts out. My eyes grow wide. At my expression, he quickly said, "I keep thinking. About what Bommer said. Did you know?"

"That my uncle used Peru as a bomb strip?" I raise an eyebrow. Yusei makes a face. "No. I didn't know."

"Did _you_?" Yusei isn't looking at me anymore. He's looking behind me. I turn, my head whipping to see a tall blonde in the doorway. Jack.

"Yusei," Jack is looking back and forth between the two of us. He steps closer to greet me, but I back away. His arms drop to his side. I feel guilty. But. I can't. Not in front of Yusei. Jack's fists clench at his sides. "We have a score to settle," Jack's tone is laced with frustration. Maybe at me. Maybe at Yusei.

"I remember," Yusei stands up, his posture stiff. "But there's still one duel left."

Jack's eyes narrow. "You seemed to forgive _her_ easily." His eyes gesture towards me. I stick my nose in the air while crossing my arms over my chest.

"She looked up the word _apology _online," Yusei replies easily. "I have faith that if she can do it, for once, you can."

Should I be offended? Oof. Ouch.

"I only stole a card-"

"Is this really the time?" I step between the boys and hold my hands out in front of me. They both stare. I drop my arms to my side. "We get it. You're pissed, I'm pissed, everyone's _fucking_ pissed at each other." Oh my gods.

I'm about to be that dumb heroine who preaches about friendship and teamwork.

This is the death of Kallen Rikiya.

Send regards to the only person who ever loved me.

My cat.

"…Those marks. They connect you. _All_ of you," I give pointed glares to the two idiots. "Whatever happens, all we got is each other. We can't trust Godwin. And we can't trust whatever's comin'. But." I let out a sigh as I ran my hand through my hair. "We gotta rely on each other."

"I never thought I would ever hear those words out of your mouth," Jack seems almost amused.

"You want us to work as a team?" Yusei is perplexed.

"Yeah," I nod. "I mean. What other choice do we have? The end of the world?" The joke falls flat. The tension is too thick.

"I can't trust him," Yusei shakes his head. "What reason do I have?"

"Likewise." Jack sneers.

"_Fuck_, then trust me. Okay?" I'm desperate at this point. "Trust whatever shit Bommer said. Trust that if we don't, _this_ just gets worse. For us. For everyone out there." I take a breath. "How many more cities will my uncle ruin to bring out the Crimson Dragon?" I looked to meet Jack's eyes. "Yusei and I did it in a single duel. Without…" I'm shaking just thinking of that memory. Me. Me and Yusei. Did that. That. Power.

Jack steps closer to me to try and grab my hands, but I've already backed away. My back hits Yusei's shoulder. Jack's eyes narrow into a vicious glare, his upper lip curling.

"We'll settle this with a duel." I'm not sure who he's talking to. He seems like he has something else to say. But he doesn't. He turns and storms out of the room. I feel Yusei's hand near my arm; I attempt to move out of the way. He grabs my wrist, and I'm slammed against his chest. I let him. His arms curl around my waist, pulling me closer, and one of his hands grips itself into my hair. I allow myself to rest my cheek against his chest.

I breathe. In and out. My lungs feel as if they're on fire.

"It's okay," I hear Yusei whisper near my ear. "Whatever happens, we'll control it. Okay?"

"We destroyed this place last time," I can't help but mutter. The question is left unspoken. What if. What would happen to everyone in it?

"You told me to trust you," Yusei lets go, instead choosing to grab my hands, and his face is inches from mine. I see the different colors in his blue eyes. "Trust _me_. Okay?"

"Okay," I agree. He seems satisfied. He lets go of my hands to give one last look at his d-wheel, and mine. I'm thankful for such a forgiving opponent. "There's just one thing I can't let go of."

"Bommer?" Yusei guesses.

"Yeah," I tug on a piece of my hair. "He warned me first. He should hate me."

"Maybe he's got a thing."

"What _thing_?" I narrow my eyes.

Yusei gives me a look. I roll my eyes. "Useless," I mutter. I'll turn to someone I can actually rely on for information. My hand moves to my deck. I pull a card. And almost drop it.

"Kallen?" Yusei notices my feat stricken expression. My trembling hand.

The card I pulled was XV. The Devil.

"I have to go," I tell Yusei hurriedly, but he seems understanding. "I'll see you. Before the duel."

"Hurry," He assures me. I'm thankful. For once. For such a forgiving friend.

I take off down the hallway towards the outside of the arena. I have to warn him. I _have_ to get to Bommer before Public Maintenance leaves.

My friendly officer Lex isn't here. Neither is Elodie. I see Bommer in the back of a car, the door locked, the bars glinting in the sun.

"Bommer!" I shout as I run forward and hop onto the back, my hand clinging to balance myself with the bar. Public Maintenance Officers step forward to stop me, but I turn my head to hiss out a brief, "_Go away." _

They seemed to catch the hint. Maybe word got around about what had happened to Chief Takasu. Ha. Haha.

"Kallen." Bommer doesn't move from his sitting position on the bench. "Have you come to visit me?"

"You said my name first in your warnin'. God damn, why don't you hate me?" I'm trying to make sense of it all. "What did you find out? Tell me," I demand.

Bommer regards me. He seems resigned, and yet, eerily calm. He stands up, his back hunched- most likely because he was too tall for the small cell. His hand curls over mine where I have it gripped around the bar.

"Watch your back," Bommer's words are soft. My back tenses. I understand why he's being so quiet. There's an aura nearby. Something akin to a red- but with purple underlying. It felt…

No. It couldn't be.

Why does it feel familiar? No, why do I feel utterly _terrified?_

"Why are you saying that?" My gold eyes are wide. "What did you find?"

"Godwin's archives surround you, Kallen," He says my name purposefully. My grip tightens around the bars. I can see in his eyes he's not talking about me. He's talking about _her_. "You were right not to trust him. He's using you. He wants _you_ to use it to summon the Crimson Dragon."

"Trust me. I knew that from the start that he was a piece of shit," And yet, my heart pounds in my chest painfully. "You should hate me for following his plans."

"Why would I?" Bommer regards me curiously. "You are the only one who has come to see me. Out of all, you are the one who is worrying. You share blood with him, yes. You are not _him._"

"I only came because my cards warned me you were in danger," I let out a shaky sigh.

"Your cards," Bommer appeared curious. "Are your predictions normally correct? If so, I will do as you say. I will watch for danger."

Ah. A good question. Are my predictions correct? It's one answer I can't give. Instead, I do my best imitation of a smile. "Stay safe, Bommer."

"And you," Bommer lets go of my hand. I guess he can sense that the conversation is over. I feel the warmth linger for a small moment. I open my mouth to close it one second later.

"…The money. I'll make sure it goes to your village," The words blurt out of my mouth, and yet, I mean every single syllable. Bommer raises his eyebrow. "I'll make sure it's rebuilt. And. That you find peace." I nod my head. "Whatever's out there, I'll fix it. If I can bring them back, I'll-"

"Stop," Bommer chides me gently. "I know," He smiles. At me. "I have to find peace with the fact that they may be gone. I'm furious. Your words comfort me, in some way. Thank you."

"No. Don't thank me yet." If I have to force the Crimson Dragon into a fucking chokehold to bring back his siblings, goddammit I will.

"Is that a promise?" Bommer's words are a rumble that echoes throughout the walls of the gray cell.

"Yeah. Damn straight it is." My conviction- my willpower- is so strong. "Don't disappear on me." With that, I jumped off the back of the van, with my feet steadily hitting the pavement. As my back was turned, I thought…It felt like someone was staring at me. I turned, but no one was there. Just that strange aura.

Okay. Deep breaths, Kal. You're seeing shit.

He wants to use me to summon the Crimson Dragon.

My duel. Against Yusei.

It'll happen again. I can't stop it.

Can I?

"Hey! Wait!" Someone rushes forward to grab my arm. I pull harshly out of their grip, my hand raised in a closed fist but stop quickly once I see a woman a few inches shorter than me. No. That's not the first thing I see. I see comically large glasses that completely cover her face.

"Who are you?" I try to keep my anger low, but the words still come out in a growl. That doesn't seem to deter the woman. She holds up her camera with a large grin.

"Carly Nagisa! You're Kallen Rikiya, right!?" She peers at me from behind her camera lens. "Is it true that you're related to the Director?"

Ah. A reporter. Gross.

"I'm answerin' questions," I think back to the rumors that quickly transpired between Jack and I. I'd rather not have my life be twisted and fabricated anymore that I've already made it.

"W-Wait!" She tries to stop me once more. This time, there's a flush over her cheeks. "I-I just wanted to tell you that- that I think it's really cool you have a fortune deck! I have one too! See!?" A few cards are shoved into my face. Fortune fairies. A weak imitation of fortunes based on luck. These couldn't compare to my deck.

"Rad," I say instead of the thoughts I actually had. "Is that it?"

"W-well, if you're asking!" Carly's grin widens as she puts her cards away. "Can I ask you questions about your relationship with Jack Atlas-"

"All the public needs to know is that the two are mad, _crazy _in love, and only gifts her the most expensive gifts," An arm is slung over my shoulder. Lux's grin is manic. "Is there anything else you wish to ask my client? She's got a duel to get to."

"I'll kill you," I tell him.

"Shh, your manager is speaking," Lux puts his finger in front of my lips. I try to bite him, but he moves away just as swiftly. Carly looks confused. She opens her mouth-

"Ah! Look at those coke bottle glasses!" Lux reaches and grabs Carly's glasses from her face, revealing beautiful large eyes. "How can you even see!?" Lux puts the glasses in front of his face and wrinkles his nose. "Vintage!"

"Hey, give those back! I can't see!" Carly whines.

"Sure!" Lux chirps. "I'll put them riiiiight here," Lux finds a vending machine and places the glasses right on top. "They'll be six paces to your left, one hop back, and criss-cross twice. Later!" Lux loops his arm through mine and drags me away.

"Expensive gifts?" I hiss. "That's what you tell the press?"

"I'm hoping that if the press sees it, Jack will _have _to buy you rich shit, and then I'll gallantly take it from you since you're a hero to the poor," Lux's smile is so bright I almost feel like shaving his head. Oh, wait. I'm just angry. "How are you doin'?" Lux's tone took a more serious approach. Concern. He's worried about me.

"I think I'm going to throw the duel," I rip the band-aid right off. I think Lux didn't hear me. He stops in his tracks, frozen, in a way that causes me to almost trip.

"….WHAT," Lux practically shrieks. Thankfully, there's no one in the hall. "Why the _fuck_ would you-"

"Godwin's tryin' to use me to summon the Crimson Dragon," I explain quickly. Lux blinks slowly. "It happened before, it'll happen again. I could stop it."

"Kal, no, you _have _to win," Lux grabs onto my hands like a lifeboat about to sink.

"Why?" I whisper.

"The Arsenics never got a chance to take down Team Satisfaction. This is your chance! If you beat Yusei, you can beat Jack, and we'll finally get what we never got a chance to do." Lux is looking at me with such an earnest look. "You've been working with Lucy on your powers. You didn't have that as much then. Gods, Kal, if there's anyone who can do the impossible, it's _you!" _

"I'm really fucking scared," I mutter bluntly. "I don't _want_ to be involved in this shit."

"It's more than that," Lux's hand tightens around mine. "This is your chance to show everyone you're more than just Jack's girl. You're Kallen fucking Rikiya." Lux steps closer. "You're not a monster. You're the Tomorrow Girl, and you're the strongest and most badass girl I know. You don't quit. You keep going- even if we tell you you're dead stupid for it."

"Shut up," I feel like I'm about to cry. Just from. The sheer amount of love and support Lux is airing out.

"No, fuck you, I won't," Lux's eyes are energetic. "You can't let what you're scared of bring you down. Wait!" Lux reaches on his jacket and pulls out a pin. I notice it's one of his hand made ones, colored completely red, with an A in the center of a heart. Flames are behind it. His Arsenics pin. He attaches it to my black jacket.

"There," He nods in satisfaction. "Kallen, you're an official member of the Arsenics! Now, you're gonna take down Team Satisfaction. Okay?"

"Okay," I agree with my own smile. "I'll give what I have. For you."

"No, not just for me. For Daichi. And Yusuke," Lux lets go of my hands. "And for you, our Tomorrow Girl."

"No throwin' the duel," I say the condition out loud.

"No throwin' the duel," Lux agrees. He gives me a mock salute. "Kick ass."

As Lux takes his steps further and further away, I lay my hand on top of the pin. The one Lux gave me. And I feel hope.

There's someone waiting for me in the starting line where my d-wheel is already prepared to go. The production crew was running around to set up for the start of the finals.

"Jack," I greet as I step closer. He's leaning against my d-wheel casually. "What'd I do to deserve a pretty boy like you to send me off?"

Jack's lips curl into that small sexy smirk I crave. "You said I should trust you. I'm showing you that I can."

"What? My words got through your thick head?" I cross my hands over my chest and jut my hip out with a raised eyebrow. My own lips curl into a smirk. "I'm honored." I can tell he's still a bit irritated from his interaction with Yusei. I like that.

"The two of you seemed rather…close," I see Jack swallow.

"Is that all you see?" I let out a sigh. "For fuck's sake, I'm _standin'_ right here."

Jack lets out a chuckle. "You're right." He steps closer, his arms snaking around my waist, and pulling me closer so that I was pressed against his chest.

"I was going to throw the duel," I admit in a murmur. I look up, but Jack was already looking down. I smile small. A real smile.

"That's not like you," Jack raises one of his hands to push hair behind one of my ears. His hand lingers on one of my braids.

"You're right. It's not." One of my hands rests on my pin. "I'll give it my all. For the Arsenics." I grin at Jack. "I'll finish what they never got to do."

"The Arsenics never would have defeated Team Satisfaction," Jack's voice comes out as a playful rumble.

"Guess we'll find out if that's true," My hand comes off the pin to linger on his jaw. Jack sucked in a breath. "You know. I'm startin' to finally see what everyone else sees. I finally feel like the Tomorrow Girl."

"Damn idiot," Jack chuckles. "You've always been the Tomorrow Girl."

I'm the one who lifts my head where our lips could touch. This one was different from the previous kiss we shared. It wasn't desperate. This was soft, gentle, a reminder of emotions we don't need to say out loud. I was the one who pulled back first. Jack kissed my nose.

"I'll be watching," Jack promises.

"Watch me win," I tell him. Jack's eyes are lit with amusement. I watch as he walks away. There's shouting all around. The duel needed to start.

Before I could mount my d-wheel, my hands reached to the hair ties holding my braids. I ripped them out, my hands curling through my wavy hair, and watched as curls bounced in front of my face. I shoved my hair back and let it fly. Yeah. I felt like myself.

Yusei was announced first. I shot forward when the light showed green. I couldn't hear the roar of the crowd over my own adrenaline, nor did I hear Rise's praise she most likely gave. No. My focus was on the person next to me. Yusei.

"Ready?" I give a salute.

"Don't hold back," His words almost come out as a warning.

"Never," I grin. "Kick ass, Ace."

"You too, Tomorrow Girl."

The alarm rang. My hands shot forward to type on my d-wheel's keypad to move energy from the computer to the engine. It was just enough to shoot me forward first around the first turn.

"Sorry, Ace! I knew you were a fast driver. Had to create some countermeasures to go first," I let out a laugh.

"Take it," I hear Yusei's own chuckle. This time, the duel is different. We're not angry. It actually feels like…a game. A real duel with no stakes.

**TURN 1: RIKIYA **

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP (0 - 1 SPC)**

**FUDO: 4000 LP (0 - SPC) **

"I lay Page of Pentacles in attack mode!" I lay the little fella down.

_(Page of Pentacles is a Level 1 Dark Spellcaster with 100 ATL and 100 DEF)_

_Kallen RIKIYA kicks off the duel with a low-level monster! What on Earth could she be planning!? _

"You changed from your normal strategy," Yusei notes. He's right. I usually summon a stronger monster first. I laugh.

"Do I?" I hear the amusing tone in my own voice. "That's all I have. Take it away."

"I will. Draw!" Yusei draws his card.

**TURN 2: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP (2 - 3 SPC)**

**FUDO: 4000 LP (2 - 3 SPC)**

"I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode," Yusei summons his trusty first-round monster.

_(Speed Warrior is a Level 2 Wind Warrior with 900 ATK and 400 DEF) _

"Speed Warrior attacks Page of Pentacles!"

"Looks like you fell for it," I smirk. "When Page of Pentacles is destroyed, I take no battle damage. And thanks to you, I can special summon one "Knight" from my deck. Come out, Knight of Cups!"

_(Knight of Cups is a Level 4 Light Tuner Warrior with 1400 ATK and 2200 DEF) _

_Kallen dodges Yusei's attack by bringing out a stronger monster! Her trap for Yusei worked!_

"It was a trick," Yusei sounds impressed. "I lay two facedown cards and end my turn."

**TURN 3: RIKIYA**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP (3 - 4 SPC)**

**FUDO: 4000 LP (3 - 4 SPC)**

"Wait for it, Yusei," I grin. "I play the Chariot. With a tuner monster on my field, I can combine my monsters!" Knight of Cups and The Chariot disappear in a golden glow. "Come, my Queen of Pentacles!" I raise my arm into the air to summon one of my trusted monsters. Queen of Pentacles hovers close to me with her staff raised.

"Hello, friend," I can't help but say.

_(Queen of Pentacles is a Level 7 Dark Spellcaster with 2300 ATK and 0 DEF)_

_Kallen has brought out a new monster! This is the first time she's brought out Queen of Pentacles in this tournament!_

"Queen of Pentacles, attack Speed Warrior!"

"I play my trap card, Scrubbed Raid!" Yusei reveals his face down card. "By removing a card from my hand, I end the battle phase."

_Yusei dodges her attack! _

"Damn. You got lucky, punk," I shake my head. "Your move."

"Right. I draw," Yusei draws his card.

**TURN 4: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 4000 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

**FUDO: 4000 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

"I summon Hyper Synchron to the field, but he won't stay for long. Go!" I knew Yusei was gearing up for a synchro summon. **"**Gathering bonds weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Turbo Warrior!"

_(Turbo Warrior is a Level 6 Wind Warrior with 2500 ATK and 1500 DEF)_

_Yusei has brought out a new monster, and it's stronger than Queen of Pentacles? Can Kallen keep her monster on the field?!_

"Turbo Warrior, attack Queen of Pentacles-"

"I use my monster's special effect!" I call out. "By removing one monster from my graveyard, I make it so I take no battle damage, and Queen of Pentacles stays on the field." My hand lays on my Arsenics for a moment as I banish The Chariot. Lux. My Chariot.

"I play my trap!" Yusei grits his teeth. "Synchro Blast! When my monster attacks yours, you take five hundred damage."

**RIKIYA: 4000 - 3500 LP**

_Kallen is the first one to take damage! Can she make a comeback?_

He got the first blood. Nice.

"I end my turn," Yusei narrows his eyes. "What do you have planned, Kallen?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? Draw!" I draw the card more forcefully than I possibly needed to.

**TURN 5: RIKIYA**

**RIKIYA: 3500 LP (5 - 6 SPC)**

**FUDO: 4000 LP (5 - 6 SPC)**

"I start by laying a facedown. From my hand, I activate Five of Swords. When I have two or more speed counters, I draw two cards," I draw the cards. And smile. Rise. You're with me. "Then I have to send one to the graveyard. Lucky for me, when the Lovers are sent to the graveyard, it can be equipped to a Synchro monster. The Lovers attaches themselves to the Queen of Pentacles to increase her attack points!"

QUEEN OF PENTACLES: 2300 - 2700 ATK

Just enough. That's all I need.

"Queen of Pentacles, attack Turbo Warrior! _Go_!"

**FUDO: 4000 - 3800 LP **

_Kallen and Yusei are now neck and neck with their life points!_

"I'm catching up," I smile at Yusei. "I end my turn."

"Are you?" Yusei's tone is ominous as he draws.

**TURN 6: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 3500 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

**FUDO: 3800 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

"I start by playing Junk Synchron. Thanks to his special effect, I'm able to bring Speed Warrior back to the field," Yusei wasn't done with his move. I know it. "With Turret Warrior in my hand, I can tribute Speed Warrior to special summon Turret Warrior!"

My arm throbbed. I gritted my teeth. Suddenly, I knew. I knew who he was about to summon. That pit in my stomach grew. That fear and anxiety were present.

No.

"Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Soar, Stardust Dragon!"

Dammit, Yusei.

_Yusei summoned his ace monster- Stardust Dragon! This is the first time we've seen this monster on the field! It's beautiful! _

"So you saved it on me?" I almost feel happy. He hadn't summoned it in his prior duels.

"I knew I needed more than what I had to take you on," Yusei has that small smile on his face. I almost snorted. He considers me a threat. As he should.

"I activate my trap card, Three of Cups!" I reveal my facedown card. "By tributing Queen of Pentacles, I'm able to summon any card in my deck. Come out, The Magician!"

_(The Magician is a Level 8 Dark Spellcaster with 2600 ATK and 0 DEF)_

"You brought out a monster just to avoid taking damage?" Yusei lets out a chuckle.

"Couldn't take any risks from you," I say sweetly. "The Lovers wouldn't last long with you, would it?" And I needed The Magician's special effect.

_Kallen sacrificed Queen of Pentacles to bring out a new monster- The Magician! It looks like she's avoiding attack by bringing out a monster with higher attack than Stardust Dragon! _

"Maybe not. I end my turn with one facedown."

**TURN 7: RIKIYA**

**RIKIYA: 3500 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

**FUDO: 3800 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

My turn. The Magician had just enough attack to still be able to take out Yusei's. It's the trap card I'm worried about.

"The Magician, attack-"

"I activate my trap, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. Your-"

"My attack is negated, don't waste your breath," I hiss out. "My Magician's effect activates. Once per turn when my opponent activates a spell pf trap, I can negate the activation and-"

"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect. Would you like me to explain?" Yusei seemed so smug as this time he was the one who cut off my explanation this time around.

_Yusei just sacrificed Stardust Dragon to negate The Magician's special effect, which would have wiped out Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! Did he leave his field deserted for more attacks? _

"No," I growl. Stardust is destroyed, but he'll be back. That's what the effect calls for. If I tried to attack directly, Scrap Iron Scarecrow would still negate it. I was at a deadlock with no more choices on my side. "I end my goddamn turn with a facedown."

**TURN 8: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 3500 LP (8 - 9 SPC)**

**FUDO: 3800 LP (8 - 9 SPC)**

"I activate Miracle Lotus," Yusei plays his card. "Stardust Dragon gains one thousand attack points and can attack _twice_ this turn. My opponent is able to draw a card."

"Gee, thanks, fucker," I draw my card.

STARDUST DRAGON: 2500 - 3500 ATK

"Stardust Dragon attacks The Magician! _Shooting Sonic!"_

**RIKIYA: 3500 - 2600 LP (9 - 6 SPC) **

My speed decreases significantly. It takes a second to make sure my d-wheel is still speeding forward evenly. I let out a growl in my throat. Only because I know he still has one attack left. My gloved hand is already poised to activate my trap card.

_Kallen has taken a significant amount of damage, while Yusei has one more attack left! If the attack goes through, Kallen's winning streak is over!_

No need to be so worried for me, Rise. Trust me.

"One attack left. Stardust Dragon, attack directly!"

"I activate my trap, Four of Pentacles!" I reveal my facedown card. "When my opponent declares a direct attack, I can halve the attacking monster's attack points until the end phase, and I draw one card." This had to help. My smile twitches. Yes. This would do.

"You still take damage," Yusei reminds me.

**RIKIYA: 2600 - 850 LP (6 - 4 SPC)**

"But I'm still in the game," I remind him in a hum. "I'll take my turn. I draw!" I draw my card. And laugh.

**TURN 9: RIKIYA**

**RIKIYA: 850 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

**FUDO: 3800 LP (9 - 10 SPC)**

"From my hand, I activate the spell Eight of Pentacles! By removing two speed counters, I destroy one spell or trap. You know I'm taking out Scrap Iron Scarecrow!"

**RIKIYA: 5 - 3 SPC**

_Kallen almost has no speed counters left! Was her plan worth it?_

It had to be. It had to be Worth It. This is a risk I'm pulling. I had to trust. Me.

I think this might be the hardest thing I ever had to do. It's not just about trusting Yusei. I trust him completely. It's about trusting me and my abilities.

Ah. Here we go. No turning back.

"While I have the Empress in my hand, and I control no monsters, I'm able to summon her to the field. Now I normal summon Temperance. Neither is staying for long. Go!" I take a deep breath. The words that come next aren't mine. But they feel Right. "The road to tomorrow is here. I'll show you. Come, my Arcanite Dragon!"

My beautiful dragon appeared overhead in a swirl of gold and red color. Her roar echoed throughout the giant stadium. It's almost louder than the rumbling of the audience's reaction.

My arm throbs. Once. Twice. I grit my teeth to try and ignore the pain. Rise says something. I don't hear. I have to think. I have to concentrate.

"From the graveyard, I attach the Lovers to Arcanite Dragon. My dragon's attack points raise by four hundred, and she becomes a tuner," I repeat my earlier strategy.

"Arcanite Dragon already beats Stardust," Yusei seems confused. "Why raise it?"

Why. Why indeed. I smile. "Doesn't hurt to have more power."

ARCANITE DRAGON: 2800 - 3200 ATK

"I activate Arcanite Dragon's effect!" I feel the pressure in the air building. "Once per turn, Arcanite Dragon targets a monster and turns their attack to zero. I choose Stardust Dragon."

"I activate Stardust-"

"Don't interrupt. The second effect negates monster effects. Stardust stays," I smirk. Yusei makes a noise in the back of his throat.

STARDUST DRAGON: 2500 - 0 ATK

"Arcanite Dragon, attack Stardust Dragon! _Arcane Fire!"_

**FUDO: 3800 - 600 LP (10 - 6 SPC) **

Stardust Dragon is destroyed in a flurry of colored flames. Yusei's still speeding ahead of me, but I could see the back of his head all that much clearer. My arm stings. I hear Yusei over the earpiece in my helmet let out a growl. I know. I just know that his arm is glowing. His Signer mark is exposed.

_Kallen's catching up! This duel is turning on its head? Will we see the climax soon!?_

"I end my turn with a facedown," I say in a small voice. I don't feel as strong. Something dark is growing. I don't know what.

**TURN 10: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 850 LP (3 - 4 SPC)**

**FUDO: 600 LP (6 - 7 SPC)**

"My turn," Yusei announces. "I use the trap card Stardust flash to bring Stardust Dragon to the field. From my hand, I'll activate the speed spell Silver Contrails to increase Stardust Dragon's attack points for this turn!"

STARDUST: 2500 - 3500 ATK

"Stardust Dragon, attack Arcanite Dragon! _Shooting Sonic!" _

"No! I play Five of Wands! I remove one monster from play in my graveyard to negate the attack. You take damage equal to half the attack of the monster I took out. I choose Temperance!"

**FUDO: 600 - 100 LP**

_Yusei only has one hundred life points left! Could this be Kallen's game to win?_

"You always know how to make things go your way," Yusei chuckles.

"Sounds like you're giving up," I hum.

"No. Not yet," Yusei lays down a card. "I end my turn with one facedown."

**TURN 11: RIKIYA**

**RIKIYA: 850 LP (4 - 5 SPC)**

**FUDO: 100 LP (7 - 8 SPC)**

STARDUST DRAGON: 3500 - 2500 ATK

This was it. The card I drew would be able to end this. Arcanite Dragon was now a tuner thanks to the Lovers being attached. The card I just drew- The Moon, was a Level 4. I could summon It. I could win easily.

I knew Yusei's trap was nothing to scoff out. It was something to stop Arcanite Dragon from attacking. I needed something to counter it. I needed…I needed…

"I lay The Moon down in attack mode!" I lay down the card.

_He's using you to summon the Crimson Dragon_.

Those words. Those damn words echoed in my head.

I could handle it. I could handle that power. I wouldn't summon it. I wouldn't. I'm Good. I'm a good person.

Right?

I could hear _her_. Her fear. Her screaming throughout my thoughts- begging to be let out, begging me to remember. Or. Was that just me?

"I-I…" I stammer on my words. All I had to do was synchro summon. This duel would be over. I would win. I would take on Jack Atlas. I would win for the Arsenics. If I summoned The World, the destruction of Arcanite Dragon would take out Stardust. The World can take any effect of any monster in the graveyard. I could use the Magician's effect to take out Yusei's trap. I would win. _I would win_.

At what cost?

Bommer's village was destroyed. Because of the Crimson Dragon. I destroyed this arena last time.

XV. The Devil. Transformation. That's the card I pulled. Something dangerous was coming. _No_. It's here.

Everyone I love is here. Lucy. Lux. Rise. Elodie. Yusei. Jack. Rua and Ruka. So many people are here. I'm worse. I'm worse than the Black Rose Dragon. I'm. Me.

This is what Godwin wanted. He _wanted_ me to summon the Crimson Dragon. This was his plan. For me. To gather the Signers. To reveal their destiny and guide them.

I…I don't want it. I just want to be. Kallen. Why can't I just be Kallen?

I'm sorry. I can't be her. I can't be the Tomorrow Girl.

I tried. I really did.

"…I use Arcanite Dragon to attack Stardust Dragon," My voice has no life to it. Yusei uses Negate Attack to deter the attack. I knew it.

**TURN 12: FUDO**

**RIKIYA: 850 LP (5 - 6 SPC)**

**FUDO: 100 LP (8 - 9 SPC)**

My field is left open since I have The Moon, whose attack points are significantly lower than Stardust Dragon's. He attacks with Stardust Dragon. I have no trap cards to defend myself.

I've lost.

**RIKIYA: 850 - 0 LP**

_…Kallen Rikiya has lost! Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo, will go on to the championship duel where he will duel Jack Atlas for the title of King of Turbo Duels!_

Yusei storms over to me. His helmet is off. He extends a hand out to me to take. My hands are shaking. My other hand moves to take my helmet off. The sun is behind Yusei, illuminating him, and highlighting his glare.

"You threw the duel." It wasn't an accusation coming from him. It was a statement. His words, his expression, were furious.

"Yeah," There was no point denying it. I looked up with a bitter smile. "I did."


	19. I Couldn't Know Someone Less

_"I've imagined you so many ways_

_You are kind, you are tall, you are old_

_But in all those pondering days_

_I did not imagine you heartless and cold."_

_(Daddy Long Legs) _

* * *

"Listen to me," I don't hesitate to grab onto Yusei's arm before he can walk out of the garage. "Godwin was trying to use you and me to summon the Crimson Dragon."

Yusei stares at me far too long without saying anything. It's making me…nervous. "Is that why?"

"I threw the duel?" I bite my lips. My hand is still on Yusei's arm. I swiftly remove it, my gloved hand moving to wipe the feeling of him off on my pants. "You can think whatever you want about what happened."

"You had the field set up. That duel was _yours-_" Yusei cuts himself off to swipe a hand through his hair out of pure irritation. "You didn't do a damn thing. You stopped it." Yusei slowly blinks. "I can't imagine how out of everything, _you_ were the one scared of summoning-."

"Get your head out of your ass and think about the bigger picture. There's still your duel against Jack to summon this son of a bitch," I remind him in a low whisper. I hesitate. My hand flies towards my phone- to hand to Yusei. "Call Lucy for me. Tell her to get the kids and get out."

"I guess you're going to talk to Godwin," Yusei reads me like a book. He always does. His hand sets itself over mine, forcing me to transfer my phone to my other hand. "Call her on the way up. I'm going with you."

"Fine," I don't argue with him. There was no point when he had already made up his mind. In one of my hands, I'm still holding on to Yusei, while the other is quickly dialing Lucy Anderson-Yuki's number. She answers on the second ring.

_"Welcome to Lucy's, what's your order?_"

"Get the kids and get out," I spit into the phone. Yusei uses his free hand to press the button for the elevator.

"_That's not a very creative order, ma'am."_

"Godwin's grand plan is to summon the Crimson Dragon. Learned that from Bommer. Take the kids back to their place and watch over them. Okay? It ain't safe here." Lucy is the only one I can trust. I know they'll be safe with her.

"_Count on me, darling. I'll take Lux. I'll text you when we're there. Chill out in the meanwhile, babe. I saw you throw that duel." _With that, my pain in the ass hangs up on me. I breathe out a sigh of relief. Yusei's hand tightens around mine, squeezing once, maybe to reassure me. I squeeze back, just once, so he knows I'm there too.

"We're okay," He says.

"We're okay," I repeat back. The doors open. We both let go of each other's hands at the same time. I'm the one who marches forward to the large doors, where two bodyguards await. It feels like the monsters outside of a dungeon before the final boss battle.

"State your business," The larger one has his hands in front of him, his posture straight. I imagine the dark sunglasses _inside_ blinded his vision to who I was.

"I'm going in," I state specifically. The two guards move closer to the opening of the door. I let out a hiss of breath. "I'm Kallen _Godwin,_" I emphasize my last name. "And I'm going in."

"Due to a situation, Godwin has no intention of allowing outside guests in," The other bodyguard spoke in a monotone voice. I let out a sigh. Right. When I rushed in after Bommer tried to kill my uncle. Oof.

I have no intention of leaving. There was only one thought running through my head.

Immunity.

My hand slips. Somehow, my fist connects right against the smaller's temple, knocking him straight out. Then, my foot accidentally flies forward in a way that forces the other one to the ground. My elbow connects to his forehead. Both are lying on the ground unconscious. I adjust my gloves as Yusei opens gapes at me. I almost want to reach forward and close his mouth for him.

"What?" I snap. "They were in the way."

"Figured you wouldn't remember how to fight," Yusei comments snidely.

"Should I punch you too?" I joke. Yusei shakes his head. "Are you comin'?" Without waiting for a direct answer, I take my time to open the doors and stroll in. It's how I hear Ushio yelling at Godwin.

"Niece," Godwin greets me with a pleasant smile. "I didn't expect you."

"I imagine. Next time, warn your officers," My eyes met Jack's as I pass by him.

"I will remember that," Godwin agrees. "Yusei Fudo. A pleasure."

"Sure. Can you get rid of him?" Yusei eyes Ushio with a wrinkled nose.

"Very well," Godwin looks to the officers who are just now waking up. "Escort him out."

I don't hear the verbal abuse Ushio is sprouting. Frankly, I don't care. My eyes are trained right on my Uncle.

"How may I be of service to you?" Godwin stands in front of his desk, without a care in the world.

"You're going to let go of my friends," Yusei is tense. "If you want me to duel in your _championship_, they're free."

"I agree," Jack interrupts from his spot on the couch. My eyes swirl to his only out of shock. "I want our rematch to be ours. No tricks. No blackmail."

"That's not possible," I'm the one who twitches- my hand, just because of my nerves. "You're tryin' to summon the Crimson Dragon. Just like you did in Peru." I take a breath. I don't want to look at my Uncle's reaction. But I have to. My eyes look up to his. "Why?" I ask.

"Why?" Godwin echoes my question with an amused lilt to his voice. "This is destiny's will. The Crimson Dragon has his five chosen candidates. Your signs- the ones that mark you- are the only proof he exists. To bring him out would be an honor."

"We had proof already," I fight back, my gold eyes narrowing. My duel. The one that caused the blackout.

"And yet, we received no word from the god. A message should have been sent," As always, Godwin's words are vague. "With a duel, we may learn the Signer's true purpose."

"Shouldn't you already know?" My words are bitter. He knew everything else.

"I don't want this duel to be about some _purpose _or _god_," Jack seems irritated. "This is about Yusei and I. Not anything else."

"Do we have a choice?" Yusei, the one who was by my side through it all, seems defeated before the duel even starts.

"Seems not," I shake my head. "Godwin," I take a deep breath. "Who is the fifth Signer?"

No one answers the question. It's a tension that spreads throughout the room. Yusei's anger is felt- along with Jack's annoyance, and Godwin's indifference. He won't answer. It could be that he doesn't know, but I don't believe that. He has to know.

"Don't fuck with me, I know you know," I have to control my tone to not snap. I don't think it worked.

There is only more silence.

"Answer me this," Yusei breaks the silence. "Do you know why Kallen came to Neo Domino City?"

It's a question that surprises me. I'm not sure how Godwin would know.

"I wonder that too," Jack says. "Yeager showed me a picture of Kallen alive. I was promised by that clown I would find her if I came." Jack's violet eyes were unreadable. "That's why I did what I did. I was told all I had to do was show up at a specific location with Stardust Dragon and Red Daemon's Dragon. That's why Yusei came to the city through the sewers. He was following me."

"No. That's not why. He came because I stole Yusei's d-wheel," I murmur in realization. "Are you tryin' to say all of this is connected?"

Neither boy says a word. I think, for a moment, maybe they're right. Maybe I was offered some kind of deal like Jack was. Maybe I was offered glory.

Then I shrink back down to reality. All I got was a broken d-wheel, a fractured body, and no memories.

"No," I say before Godwin can speak. "That's not it."

"Kallen is right," Godwin confirms. "Neither I nor Yeager offered any kind of deal to her, as you said. It is under my assumption that she traveled on her own. I only learned of her existence upon her arrival at the city's hospital."

"None of this makes sense," I swipe my hand through my hair, pausing my rhythm only so I could tug on the ends. "Somethin's missin'."

It was right there. Something was glaring at us right in the face, obvious to everyone but us, but none of us could see it. It was the final piece of the puzzle that would make all of this make sense.

"Mr. Atlas and Mr. Fudo?" Elodie was by the door with her clipboard in her hands. "It's time for your duel. If you don't mind, could you follow me backstage so we could set up and get started?"

Jack and Yusei nodded. They started to follow. I didn't move from my spot. Yusei was the first to notice. Jack stopped right behind him.

"Kallen?" Yusei spoke warily. "Are you comin' with us?"

"No," My answer surprised everyone in the room, myself included. This was something I had to do. "I'll stay to watch the duel here." My eyes traveled to my uncle. "Can I?"

"Whatever your heart desires, niece," Godwin seems pleased. "There are some words I wish to have with you. Perhaps we could…clear the air, so to speak."

"Yeah. Let's." I look at Yusei and Jack. My steps carried me towards them. Yusei first. I try to smile. "Good luck, Ace."

"Be careful," Yusei warns me.

"And you, hotshot," I smile wickedly. His hand moves towards me, his head tilting down, but I step out of his path. It wasn't the time. Disappointment hit down my mind right to my stomach, leaving me finally confused, but I shrugged it off. Not in front of Yusei. I can't.

"…You finally got your duel," I couldn't smile at him. Something felt. Weird. Off.

"Yeah," Jack nodded. This was his time to _settle the score_, a preach he had been spouting for weeks now, maybe years to himself. His handsome face holds a mixture of anger and sadness I couldn't explain. His hand reaches for mine. This time, I allow it. His hands brush over mine, gently. He lifts my fingers to his lips where he places a kiss that sends a vibration down my entire body. It felt. Pleasant. Yes. Very nice.

Then, he storms off without Yusei or Elodie. Elodie only raises an eyebrow. Yusei shakes his head.

"You know," I have to say something. The air felt too. Bad. "Jack said if he won, he'd take me on a date."

Yusei looks like he considers my words. His nose wrinkles. He says, so casually, "Guess I'll have to win."

And then he's gone. Elodie is the last to leave. She gives me a thumbs-up before closing the door behind her. I let out a soft chuckle that comes only out of pure exhaustion by what this day has brought, and has yet to bring.

"You wanted to talk to me about something," I turn my head to the point where I could let my uncle see my eyebrow raise. "Talk."

"Your bluntness likens to Airi. Your Mother," Godwin never looks displeased. It's something that pisses me off.

"I know my Mother's name," I lift my chin in the air.

"I'm afraid not. That's all you know of her." Godwin moves slowly behind his desk, beckoning me to follow. I don't. "You wish for answers."

"Not if it comes with more riddles," I stay rooted in my spot. "Tell me somethin'- and tell me the truth. I deserve that." I take a deep breath. The words don't feel like my own. "Am I the fifth Signer?"

"No," Godwin's reply is swift. There's no hesitation- no room for other thoughts. "However," Godwin still has his arms behind his back. "I would say that it…runs in the family."

"Tell me it isn't you," I deadpan.

That seemed to get a good chuckle out of Godwin. I'm surprised he was capable of laughing, given he was actually part robot, down to the controlled personality and legit metal arm.

"It is not," Godwin shakes his head with a small smile.

"But you know." If it runs in the family, who else could it be? My brother?

"Yes. I do." Godwin admits as he takes a step back. "If you wish to know, all you would have to do is search."

I don't trust his words. Last time, I found out I was related to the slimy bastard. He had another secret he wanted to tell.

It was just about the fifth Signer, I had to tell myself. This knowledge would benefit my friends. Maybe it would help in the long run.

I couldn't learn anything worse than knowing I was related to the rat bastard Director.

I took a deep breath. Slowly, I made my way beside Godwin. He was looking at me. Once he saw I was glancing back, he gives me an encouraging nod to continue.

I'm drawn to the large cupboard of his desk. It's a single large drawer that looks as if it could contain a package the size of a crate. Six Pharaohs could probably fit in that, and my cat was not a slim boy.

Something was calling to me. Something was in there. That was the secret. My gloved hand reached out to curve around the handle. It came upon.

And I let out a shriek. My body fell back on its own accord to where I landed right on my ass. I wanted to throw my hands over my both, but my limbs wouldn't move.

A canister was inside. It held a fucking arm. A dismembered arm in liquid. A real-life fucking _arm. _An. Arm! _An arm_.

As I took a closer look, this arm was tanned, bearing a mark similar to the Signers. My hand moved to touch the base, but I pulled back just as quickly.

"What the fuck is that?" I whispered out into the air. My tone sent a chill up my spin. "Why do you have this?"

"You are the one who wishes for answers," Godwin's voice still holds that calmness to it. "Search."

I don't know how I'm supposed to do that. That damn thing keeps calling me. Against my better judgment, I lay the palm of my hand against the surface of the glass.

My head screams for a single moment. There's white. Then nothing.

I can't move a single part of my body. I'm not in control. As I glance around, I see a nicely furnished interior of a house. This body moves on its own. I'm just a passenger, I suppose. As they turn a corner, I see a woman. Tall. Dark skinned. Black hair that radiates blue under the sunlight that streams through the open windows.

"Airi," The voice isn't mine. Yet, I've heard it before. Deep. Masculine. Slightly terrifying.

"Don't speak to me," The woman, Airi, is packing a bag.

"I understand you're upset-"

"Upset? _Upset?"_ The woman turns. I see her narrowed pink eyes and wish I could let out a gasp. The woman was my Mother. Which meant this body…

"It was necessary to complete the project," The voice, who I believe to be my Father, pleads.

"Fudo was right. This damn thing is going to knock out everyone in the city." Air is pissed. She looks like…well, like me. Exactly like me. We have the same face when we're angry. "You didn't see it. The last occurrence. Fifty came to the hospital- we were understaffed- and you want to _keep the project alive-"_

"This is for the good of the city. Please."

"For the good of the city," Airi echoes with a harsh laugh. "You'll chase your God to the end of the Earth. I'm putting our family, _my_ family, first over your idealistic dreams." Airi glares straight at me. No. At my Father. I'm seeing things out of his eyes. His memories. "I pray, Rudger, that your Crimson Dragon was worth it. I know my children are worth more." Airi picked up her bag.

"Airi, wait-" Father, Rudger, tried to follow, but the door slammed in his face without my Mother moving it. A Psychic. Like me.

The image fades to black. This only gives me a few moments to process what the fuck just happened.

My Father…had a mark. A Signer mark. _He_ was the Fifth Signer. He had to be.

But why was that arm in a jar, with the mark still intact?

Another screen of white appears before the scene settles. I don't recognize the area. I see walls created with warped wood. Paper is strewn all over the floors, taped or stapled to the walls, with a clumsily built computer on a desk.

Then…there's a girl. A bit shorter than me with black hair pulled back into long two braids that touch the middle of her back, scrawny to the point of being unhealthy, and wearing torn clothes. I see her pull a card from her deck. XV. The Devil.

This girl is me. No. _Her._

Rudger steps forward. The girl I used to be turns, her gold eyes widen with shock before they glare forward. She doesn't seem surprised, nor does she seem scared.

"Hey, Dad," She greets venomously. "See you're still evil. Just like Mom described."

He says her name. Her glare grows more with fury. She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, you being absent doesn't mean you get to say my name like that. Are you here to kill me too? Yusuke ain't here if you wanted him to join."

"Not at all," His voice is smooth. "I heard you enjoyed Greek Mythology."

"I know the story where Kronos ate his kids to avoid havin' to give up his throne," The girl slowly blinks.

"Ah," Rudger lets out a chuckle. "You think this interaction will be something similar."

"I'm not joining you," She seems so calm and…arrogant. A trait I wish I could say I shared. "You can go on and fuck right off to hell."

"You shouldn't swear at your Father."

"You aren't my Dad. You're dead," She sneers. "You're a piece of shit who joined the dark side. It's 'cause of you everyone's dead, and we're stuck in this prejudice shithole."

"Your Mother fed you lies," Rudger circles her. "Why don't I show you? If you come with me, I'll-"

The voice cuts off abruptly. The vision around me shatters like glass. "_Ah-ah! Spoilers!"_

I can't see anything. My body returns to me. I can move again. "Who the hell are you?!" I yell out into the open air.

"Me? Who am I?" The voice snarks out in a rumbling tone. "You should ask yourself that before you ask me! Who are you?"

"This ain't funny. Come out," I growl. "Show yourself."

"Testy. All you need is a mirror. After all…" She steps forward. I take a jump back out of pure shock. "I'm you."

Me she was. This version had long hair as opposed to my short. That was the only difference.

"Did you bring me here?" I demand. "I want out."

"I may not have brought you here, but I got you out. The darn snake almost showed you too much. Then you never would have helped our side!"

"Whose side?" My mind is trying to make sense of all that happened. The girl accused Father of being evil. His arm was cut off. Was he not a Signer anymore?

"Who? _Who_?" The other me was mocking. "Good or bad? Light or dark? Can you tell the difference anymore?"

"You're not me," I snarl. "You are _not me_."

"How would you know?" The girl pouts. "Poor widdle Kallen. She's stuck in the middle of a war with no idea what the other side has in store for her. You're just ignorant!"

"Fuck you."

"Is that all you are?" She steps closer. It's then I notice her eyes starting to shift to a pure red. Like the Crimson Dragon, I think. I want to believe that's what it is. "You're stuck between light and dark. How long are you going to run away, Miss Asakawa R-"

I gasp. The light burns my eyes. I'm suddenly back in my uncle's office. My whole body is shaking. Godwin is watching me carefully, I assume to gauge my reaction.

"What did you see?" Godwin asks after a moment of pause for me to catch my brief. I try to climb back to my feet, but I have to lean against the desk to gain my balance.

"How did you know I could see anythin' at all?" I'm short of breath.

"A simple guess," Godwin doesn't seem surprised by the turn of events that just transpired. "You have the gift of precognition. This was a test to see if you also had the ability of psychometry- the gift of seeing past events."

I want to swear at him. I'm angry I was used in his own plan. I grit my teeth to hold back my tongue. After all, this double-edged blade did give me the answers I wished. "I saw your brother's memories," I couldn't meet Godwin's eyes. "One with his wife. And one…with me." I don't mention the Other Me I saw. There was no reason to.

Godwin nods. "That's not the only thing on your tongue, is it?"

"When I asked before what role I was in the story," My words are quiet. "You never said my Dad was a Signer."

"It was not the right time," Godwin steps closer to me and sets his hand, his real hand, on my shoulder. "You have a destiny, Kallen. You have a choice your Father shared- the gift to choose your own pathway. Destiny has foretold you have two options in your existence."

"Why doesn't he have the arm anymore?" My Dad wasn't dead. I saw him. She said. She said he died. In the memories, she said he was dead, but he was there. She was talking to him. "Why aren't you saying anythin'!?" My voice comes out to a screech.

"You have a wonderful gift," Godwin doesn't move closer to me. I feel like I'm breaking down. "You could have the blessing to carry on your Father's duty."

"No. I don't want that. I never _asked_ for that." I'm shaking my head at this point. My hands are shaking. My whole body is shaking. "Why doesn't he have it? Where is it?" I want to reach forward and shake my uncle- just to change that stupid look on his face. "Mother said he was bad. The past version said he was evil. Where is he?" Godwin doesn't answer. "He's not evil, is he?" Nothing. Beats pass. It feels like an eternity. "_FUCK_, say _SOMETHING_!" I shout as my hand claws my neck. I must have pulled too hard. The chain on my pentacles necklace breaks. The pendant falls straight to the floor. I don't move to pick it up. I can barely see through the years in my eyes.

My hands reach up to grip the sides of my head. The pain is…immense. I drop to my knees, but another vision is already taking place. It's Yusei and Jack dueling. This is the present. I hear the roar of the Crimson Dragon. I feel the pain in my arm. And…I see the destruction of a ruined city. Something in me screams to help. I don't know this place. I don't remember. There are dragons. There's a duel. It's too much to keep track of. I can't think. I can't handle it. It's all going by too fast to catch on what's happening, a blur, a-

I'm back. Everything is too hot. I'm sweating. I'm sobbing on the floor as it all hits me with tidal waves of emotions.

My Father had the same mark as the spider destroying the city.

He was no hero. He was a villain. He is a villain. Like me. Like how I could be.

"I don't want this," I'm begging someone. I don't know who.

"Your destiny has been picked," Godwin looks outside the window. "It seems the duel is over."

I pause. My hands curl around my pentacles pendant. I hear it. The silence of the crowd. I force myself to crawl over to the window so I can see the outside. Jack's d-wheel, the Wheel of Fortune, is tipped on its side in a pile of rubble and smoke. Jack is sprawled on the ground.

He crashed.

Something in me breaks. I'm not wearing my stabilizer. Seeing Jack down there, lying on the ground, unmoving…

This was so-called Destiny's fate for us. For the puppets of the Crimson Dragon.

The windows in Godwin's office break. I know I'm the one who did it this time. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

"I don't want this," I say one last time. "None of us did."

"No," Godwin agrees. "But you must."

I don't hear anything else. I stand up. And I run. I run as fast as I could. I don't look back. And I don't stop.

Above all, I hear Rise's voice coming from the speakers overhead.

_YUSEI FUDO HAS JUST WON THE FORTUNE CUP AGAINST JACK ATLAS! HE IS OUR NEW KING OF TURBO DUELS- THE WINNER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE! SATELLITE'S SHOOTING STAR HAS WON!_


	20. Where Did the Rock Go

_"Sorry for the outburst. Please, I'll be okay._

_Let's keep this our secret. _

_Who'd believe it anyway?_

_We'll pretend it never happened, file it and forget."_

_(School of Rock)_

* * *

I don't know when I stop running. Eventually, I collapse against a wall in a hallway near the exit- the one nearest to the garage where the d-wheels are kept.

Jack crashed his D-Wheel, aka the Wheel of Fortune. The one he named. After me. My Father- who was a former Signer, the _FIFTH_ Signer nobody knew the existence of- had his arm cut off and gave it to my Uncle, and was now some kind supervillain bent on getting rid of the Signers.

Yusei. My best friend. Aki. Just some sixteen-year-old kid in a cult. Ruka. She hadn't even started _high school _yet. Jack. My…

I'm entangled in some kind of web that I never asked for. Holy _fuck, _I never wanted any of this.

My thoughts won't stop racing. My heart is about to explode in my chest. The edges of my pentacles necklace dig against my fingers painfully, but so far it's been the only reminder that this reality I'm living in actually exists and I haven't been placed in some version of the afterlife where I'm being eternally punished.

"Hey! It's you!" A cheerful voice is running up to me. "Kallen Rikiya! Listen- can you tell me anything about the glowing marks found on-…oh."

It's Carly. The reporter from earlier. She stops beside me, her hand outstretched nervously. Her large eyes could be briefly seen through the large glasses she wore. "Are…are you okay?"

Gods, I probably look like a mess. I swipe across my face with the back of my hand. The glove I wore feels irritating against my bare skin. My thoughts are still running a mile a minute to the point I'm not really sure if I'm conscious or not.

"No," I respond honestly.

Carly stares at me. I can see in her mind her thoughts were probably jumping from one conclusion to another.

I don't see her move. Her arms are around my neck in a chokehold that was, I _assume_, meant to be a hug. I raise my hands in the air in surrender.

Holy shit. That brace of the impact forced me to let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. And then. I was gripping on for dear life- like if I let go, I would fall into an ocean of my negative thoughts and just. Drown. Drown in them. Drown in the knowledge that I was born from a villain you'd only see in mythology. And that.

I could be the same.

"I'm sorry," I whisper into her shoulder. I wasn't. Apologizing to her. Maybe I'm apologizing to Yusei. Or Jack. Or maybe I was apologizing for my existence.

"N-No I'm sorry!" Carly practically shouts. "I, oh wow, I shouldn't have asked anything. That was my bad! I-I didn't know!"

I wanted to laugh. My face felt swollen. I didn't want to let go. The fabric from her vest felt comforting against my chin. Still, I forced myself too.

"…Sorry," I look away after I detached myself. "About. Your glasses." I pick at the dried blood on my gloves. "Never met that man before in my life. But. That was a dick move."

"I made someone get them down for me. Don't worry about it!" Carly smiles at me kindly. I couldn't help but hug my body. "Are…are you okay?" Carly seemed worried about me. Me. Someone she only met once before and probably put her through a few moments of hell. "Do you maybe wanna- if you're okay with it- talk about what happened?"

"Don't think I can," I try to smile. I feel like it comes out more of a grimace. "Dunno if you know. I'm Godwin's niece. Just found out stuff I…don't…" I swallow. "I don't think I was ready for it, you know? Top secret. Bullshit." I slowly look up to get a good look at her face. "Jack. D'you know if he's alright?"

"Huh?" She seems momentarily confused. "Jack…? _OH_! Jack Atlas! Yes!" She pumps her fist into the air. "He's okay! He got carried off on a stretcher. But Yusei, he ran away before any of us could talk to him, and Godwin-"

I cut her off before she could ramble on. In my hand, I held a ticket for Jack's movie premiere I had stored in my pocket. As a reminder. Both to remember Jack and the fucking movie premiere date.

Carly pauses for a moment. "What?" The words tumble out of her mouth. "Is that-"

"It's yours. Yusei won't be there. You can get your questions from Godwin, Jack, whoever else," I tell her. "It's for letting me break down on you."

I expect her to tell me she can't accept it. Instead, she reaches out and almost hungrily takes the ticket out of my hands. I want to laugh, but honestly, I'm too drained. "VICTORY!" She holds up her camera with a foolish grin.

While she's absorbed in that, I walk away. My hands go to my deck. VIII. Strength. I'll see her again, I think. Carly Nagisa.

This card stands for her.

My phone rings. Six missed calls. Yikes. I ignore it this call. I just. Can't. I can't. Not right now. Lucy texted. Yeager stopped them from leaving before Jack and Yusei's duel. They were on their way to my house. Okay. Can't go back there either. I'm not ready. Rise wants to see me. Elodie sent something. Ike. Delete.

Yusei…He left a voicemail on Lucy's phone.

Sorry. Not now. Not when I can't. Think. I text Lucy if she can grab my D-Wheel. She responds instantly. I love her. I love her for not questioning. I love how she just. Knows. Knows that I'm not okay.

I don't know where I'm walking now. I'm now out of the KaibaDome and walking along the sidewalk to nothing. I feel a raindrop hit my cheek. For a moment, I'm not sure if it's my own tears, but a second falls.

Fuck me. It's raining.

I'm soaked to the bone within seconds. I can barely see as I start to run to what I hope is underneath an awning. I'm shivering at this point as I watch the rain drip down. My arms move to hug my body. I only now notice I'm leaning against the door of a closed diner. Ha.

A red vehicle parks with speed directly in front of me. Then, fabric is covering my wet hair. I peek my eyes out to be face to face with…Yusei. His helmet is still over his head- like his first instinct was to help…his first instinct was to help me.

"You look cold," His words are gentle.

"Got caught in the rain," I chuckle weakly. I let what I now know to be his jacket rest over my head, with the sleeves clutching close to my body. It's warm. Barely wet. Yusei uses his gloved hand to wipe a wet tendril off my forehead. He finally takes his helmet off to set on the ground beside us. Guess he doesn't want it wet.

"Lucy called," Yusei admits. "She said- She said she was worried."

"Yeah. Sounds like her." I take a pause. "Sorry. For ghostin'. I…" I let the word leave, but nothing else comes out. I blink back tears once more. Yusei puts his arm around my shoulders. Like clockwork, we both slide against the wall and sink to the concrete below. My head rests on his shoulder.

"I saw. I saw everythin', Yus," The nickname comes out so easily as I choke back the emotions threatening to once more reach the surface.

"What?" Yusei sucks in a breath. Yet. His hand never stops rubbing circles into my arm.

"What you saw. I saw it too. In the duel. The Crimson Dragon. That town. Gone." I don't mention what I saw with my Dad. That…that's another level I just. Can't talk about it yet. "I saw it. I saw everythin'."

There's no sound except for the thundering rain. Yusei's arm tightens around my shoulders. "Do you know who the fifth Signer is?"

"Yeah," I say, and add nothing else. My tone is both dead and resolute.

Yusei doesn't ask. The only sound is the rain.

"How did we end up here?" I stare out at the plaza.

"You ran. I followed," Yusei replies wryly.

I want to laugh. "No, I mean…"

"I know what you mean." Yusei rests his head against mine. "There was one time she and I ended up in a similar situation," Yusei's voice was quiet but soothing. I couldn't help but listen. "We stole an engine off a Public Maintenance d-wheel. It started rainin'. We couldn't see and ended up taking shelter underneath an abandoned shop like this."

"Did you get caught?" It almost feels weird asking about my own past. I have to remind myself it isn't mine.

"No," Yusei shook his head. "I remember you- _she- _her making fun of me for just wearin' a vest. We spent all night waiting for the rain to stop."

"And then…she went out into the rain," A vague thought came into my head. "Like…this." I stood up abruptly, shoved Yusei onto his back, and shrieked, "_TAG!"_

And then. I ran out into the pouring rain.

The first thing I did was let the jacket fall to my shoulders and spread my arms out wide. My face was directly in the line of rain, and…I didn't care. Yusei stared at me for a moment with wide, confused blue eyes, but that sexy cross between a smirk and grin appeared in a snap. He ran with blinding speed towards me, his arm snaking around my waist, and suddenly I was in his arms. He was spinning me around. We were both laughing too loudly. For a second, I felt like I was really flying. I felt _free_.

He set me down on the ground with his arms still around my waist. Both of my hands were on his chest. We both had those stupidly happy grins on our faces- like nothing was wrong- like we were just those kids again running through the streets looking for scrap.

Our eyes meet. My smile turns more hesitant. He raises an eyebrow. I see his face coming closer to mine- enough so that I can see my own reflection in his eyes.

I feel an instant pulsing of pain. There's an image at the edge of my mind- a mirror reflection of what's happening now- but it's out of my reach. I…I…

_Damn._

My eyes tear up as I let out a gasp. Yusei is immediately defensive, his arms moving up to grip my shoulders. "It-It hurts…" I whisper, or more moan, out the words. My hands reach my temples, but that only brings more pain. There are more flashes in my mind I can't make out. My fingers grip Yusei's jacket as I jam my face against his shirt in an attempt to make it. It go away.

He says her name. Then he swears. There's an apology. He's still talking. I can't make out the words. I can't hear anything.

I want it all to go away.

I want.

I want _her to go away_.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. Yusei continues to hold on to me with a tight grip. My vision is blackening in a haze of cold thoughts. "I-I'm sorry."

I'm sorry I'm not her.

* * *

It's nighttime. I'm not sure how I ended up back in my house, on my couch, but I suspect Yusei has something to do with it. I can't even properly thank the bastard because he was gone by the time I woke up.

I feel like I've called everyone in my contact list. I had to tell Rise I was alive while avoiding conversation about what happened, I had to talk to Elodie about what the fuck happened in Godwin's office, and then I had to tell Lux that no, I was not abducted. Just being a bitch. He accepted my explanation the best out of everyone. Rise had to remind me that we had an appearance at Jack's movie premiere, which I already knew. Maybe.

Lucy is sitting beside me on the fire escape. She's chattering about something involving the spirit world. I think. I'm not listening. I'm drinking my good friend, Jack- as in, Jack Daniels.

There's something crawling on my leg. I notice a spider- with my instincts automatically kicking in to swat that fucker off. I almost think that I see that damn thing glowing purple as it falls to the sidewalk below, but I contribute that to my lack of sleep and abundance of booze.

"What crawled up your ass?" Lucy snickers.

"Spider," I swear. "Did I spill anythin' on me?" I hold up the bottle of Jack.

"Permission to look at the chest, granted," Lucy gives me a once-over. I notice her shirt, white with a black fist, declaring _I CAN'T BREATHE. _"You're good!"

"Thank the gods. I doubt this day could've gotten any worse, but-" Before I can even finish my sentence, the front door slam. I hear Yusei's irritated huffing. Lucy and I share a look. She gestures for me to go in first, which I reluctantly do. Yusei makes a grab for my drink as soon as he sees me, and I let him. He looks like he could use it more than I do. He almost chugs that whole thing. I relinquish the thought that the drink might return and reach for another in my fridge.

"So much for your dedication to milk," I comment.

"Fuck off," Yusei spits. "I just had a goddamn _shadow_ _duel_."

"What!?" Lucy reacts in a cross between a scream and a yowl. Pharaoh jumps from his position on the couch where he's obviously startled. I pick him up to hold my chunky cat in my arms, where he immediately purrs.

"Yeah. Flames. The threat of death. All because I have this," Yusei holds up his mark. I notice it's there now- permanent, unlike before when it would disappear. I wonder when that happened.

"Wack," I say because there's nothing else I could think of. "So. Does this mean all y'all are gonna keep being attacked?"

"Gods. Probably." Yusei takes another swig of my once drink. "I have a meeting with Godwin tomorrow. Somethin' about discovering my _true destiny_ and learning what the hell I'm actually supposed to do. After that, I'm getting dropped off in Satellite."

"Why?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Save the world, I guess," Yusei shrugs.

"Aren't you supposed to have a team?" Lucy tilts her head to the side. "You know, you and the other _four_ signers. Since there's _four_ of you," She emphasizes the number. "Why just send one?"

"We don't even know who the fifth is," I lie. Yusei gives me a look knowing damn well I'm lying.

"Kallen could talk to Jack. Maybe he could go with you," Lucy offers for me. I shoot her a look. She grins back.

It's not a bad idea. I recognize that. I'm just thinking about how the last place I want to be is in a life or death situation with two knuckleheads arguing over a damn card game.

"I need to talk to him anyway," I scratch absentmindedly behind Pharaoh's ear. "Haven't seen him since his crash."

"Yeah…" Yusei hesitates. "Kallen," His eyes are intense. "Can you- no, will you go to Satellite? With me. When I go." He looks away with an embarrassing red tint to his cheeks. I open my mouth to speak, but no words make their way out.

"Yeah, we can!" Lucy says for me. I can breathe again. "I'll join," Lucy seems bright. "I've never been to Satellite before." She stretches her arms over her head. "Well! Glad we got that conversation out. Night!" She skips to her room where the door shuts behind her.

"That settles it, I guess," I can't describe how Yusei seems both defeated and relieved that Lucy volunteers to go with us.

"Guess so," I echo.

"I'll call you if anything happens," Yusei is staring right at me. "When I'm with Godwin tomorrow."

"Why me?" I let Pharaoh hop out of my arms and back onto the couch. "You've got other friends." Better ones.

"Yeah," Yusei agrees. "I know that if something happens, you have my back."

My heart flutters. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," He nods. With that, he turns his back to me and heads to my bathroom. I hear the shower start a second later. My knees shake. I allow myself to collapse onto my couch and finish the bottle of Jack Daniels to calm my beating heart and anxiety-filled lungs.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Dia."

"I can't believe you rope me into your schemes _every time_," Elodie groans from the driver's seat of her car. I give a mischievous grin to Rise sitting beside me, who is stifling laughter.

"So all I have to do is distract the paparazzi sitting outside so you can sneak into the hospital?" Rise blinks her pretty blue eyes at me. She agreed to my plan because she'd be the center of attention.

"No one can do it like you, babe," I wink at her. "Elodie, do you have the rest set up?"

"Yes, I'll bring in your clothes and call the limo," Elodie looks ready to bang her head against the steering wheel. "We'll be late."

"_Fashionably_ late," Rise purrs.

"You're the main act!"

"That means, realistically, they can't start without her," I hum.

Elodie whines. "One of these days, I'm not going to be here to bail you out!"

"And I appreciate you every single second," I say sweetly. "Aight. Kill 'em, tiger," I reach across Rise to open the door for her. Rise responds by flicking her blonde hair behind her. She looked radiant in her sparkling pink dress and white heels. I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that she would steal the spotlight enough for me to slither past her undetected. If someone did catch me, they were right morons for not staring at the Beauty that is Rise Rikiya.

"See you soon, sweetie," Rise leans over and kisses my cheek with a faint pink tint to her cheeks. I blow her one more kiss as she begins to shut the door, and with her free hand, she catches it.

There's a pause. The air in the car feels…weird. Elodie is staring ahead with her knuckles tight against the steering wheel.

"You 'aight, Dia?" I lean forward and move closer to the driver's seat.

"Kal…" Elodie's tone is hesitant. "You're lying. You're lying to Rise. That, or she's lying."

"About?" I frown.

Elodie finally turns in her seat to look at me. "You said she was done with the whole _magic Signer_ thing."

"This isn't about magic. It's about getting Jack to his party," Despite my words, I can't manage to look Elodie in the eyes.

Elodie straightens her posture. Her dark eyes narrow. "So. She doesn't know the reason then. I mean- why you want him to go to the party."

Ah. Right. Elodie would know about Godwin's plans to send Yusei to Satellite.

"Jack should be there," I look away. "No. Rise doesn't know."

"You're _lying_."

"She's havin' fun. I'm going to a party with her. I'm with Jack. It's what she wanted," I pick at the seat with my fingernails. "I ain't gonna ruin it by telling her."

Elodie lets out a frustrated sigh. I know, despite what I did, she won't say anything. "Just…keep me out of it, okay?" Elodie shakes her head. "Don't hurt Rise."

"Wasn't plannin' on it," Rise asked that she stay away from the magic voodoo bullshit. I'm not breaking my promise. The last thing I wanted to do was see her cry. "Did you handle everythin'?"

"I'm _Godwin's assistant,_ not yours."

"All the same in name, yeah?" I smirk. "See you in a bit, babe."

On that note, I slip out of the car. Rise is doing her thing by distracting the paparazzi while I sneak my way to the side of the building. My fake badge is enough to slip me past unwanted security doors that would otherwise keep me out of kidnapping a celebrity such as Jackass Asshole.

That woman is there. I don't remember her name. She works for my Uncle- her blue hair the same color as her suit. Mirage? Marian?

"Jack isn't taking visitors right now," Her voice is snide once she spots me. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Overruled." I easily shoulder her out of the way to go into Jack's room. Jack is sitting up on the hospital bed. I see his eyes light up when he catches my gaze, but just as quickly he looks away out the window. I see he's watching the red carpet to his movie premiere on the small TV. His arm is in a slung. There's not even a cast on it.

"You're ridiculous," I can't help but laugh. "What'd you do- just twist it? Get a scratch?"

"You can't be in here!" The woman once again starts her screeching.

"Jack, I'm going to be in here," I tell him boldly. "Tell your dog to back off."

"I am _not _a dog-!"

"Mikage," The man finally speaks. Right. That was her name. I was close enough. "Leave."

The woman, Mikage, sucks in a breath only to let it back out in a hiss. She sends me one last glare before storming out. Jack still isn't looking at me. I don't like that.

The tv screen cracks. The voice of the reporter on the TV goes in and out- the sound gargling- before the entire TV set starts smoking. Jack turns to me with a glare.

"The TV quality is shit," I comment.

"If you wanted my attention, you could have _asked_," He rumbles.

"You would've listened?" I shake my head with a snort. I'm beside his bed in just a few strides. "Get up," I command. "We're going to the premiere. _Your_ premiere, 'case you forgot."

"Why?" He gives me a side-eye glance.

"I'm not taking myself," I state. "Gods, all you're doing is moping in some shitty hospital room Uncle is paying for. You lost." I sit beside his bed and take his hand in mine. My voice becomes increasingly softer. "I lost. Get the hell over it."

I have his attention now. I see, no- _feel, _his thumb sliding gently over my hand in soothing motions.

"You're still the King," I murmur. "You're still _Jack Atlas._ This is your movie premiere. I never knew you to be a _coward_."

I see that smile of his. The same one that makes my body feel otherworldly. It's contagious to the point I feel my own smile- a genuine one- stretch across my features. I have to distract myself by moving a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You didn't come sooner," Jack is always the one who notices these things about me. "Godwin told you something. I take it that you ran."

"Yeah," I let out a breath. "Some shit I didn't wanna know." I give him a pleading look. "Later. Please."

I don't say please often. Jack nods easily.

"I'm coming in!" A voice on the other side of the door announces. Elodie enters with two large bags. She hands them both to me, which I toss onto Jack's bed.

"What is this?" Jack picks up the bag with a frown.

"Your suit," I begin my journey to lock myself for the next ten minutes into the bathroom with Elodie in tow. "Put it on."

Jack chuckles. "You've thought of it all."

"I'm kidnapping you," I smirk.

"Weren't you the one afraid of what the media would say?"

"Let 'em talk," My hand is on the doorknob. I don't say I'm doing him a favor. I'm hoping this will distract the media from his champion title loss. "Be back, champ."

"Need help?" He has a smirk that makes me want to shove him against a wall. I want to reply-

"No, she does not!" Elodie yelps loud enough to remind us of her presence. "No peeking! Got that?!" She wags her finger at Jack before shoving me inside the bathroom and slamming the door behind her. "Gods!" She turns to me with a glare. "If you're gonna make out with him, wait until I'm gone!"

"I don't know your kinks," I roll my eyes.

"Not _that_," She squeaks on the word. "If I wanted to see my best friend shag someone in a hospital-…No, there's no good way to finish that sentence," She shakes her head as she pulls out my heels from the bag and hangs the dress against the shower rod.

"Prude," I tease jokingly. "Did you-"

"The car is waiting out front, yes," Elodie cuts me off just as she turns her back to me when I start to undress. "I bet Rise is gossiping about Jack's return now."

"That'll get his ego inflated," I smirk. I reach for the dress and start to slip it over my head. "Zip?" My tone is cheeky. I hear Elodie behind me as I reach for her bag and start to touch up my makeup.

"You look stunning," Elodie murmurs. The dress is zipped. I can see her smiling in the mirror.

"I know," I touch up my red lipstick. The dress itself is sleeveless, sleek, form-fitting with a sweetheart neckline, and drags behind me just slightly. The dramatic part is the elongated slit that drags in a diagonal up to my hip- exposing most of my right leg. I carefully slip on the purple heels that Elodie packed. I nod at my reflection in the mirror. Yeah. This would work. My pentacles necklace sits comfortably around my neck on a new chain where it belonged- fully on display.

Game time. I check one last time in the mirror before exiting the bathroom, and-

I stop. Full stop. Jack is fixing his jacket to where it could rest comfortably around his shoulders. His suit was white. White jacket, white pants, white vest- but with a black undershirt that matched my dress. He still wore his necklace, but I noticed now he wore another chain with it. His sigma ring that matched mine was on a slighter shorter chain. I couldn't help but smile.

I wasn't the only one who was staring. Jack was giving me a once-over look. I can see his lips quirking up in a genuine smile. His purple eyes were alight.

"Hey," I say.

"Hey," He says back. He offers me his arm- his good one. I step forward and loop both of my arms through his. In my heels, I'm eye-level with his nose. He smiles down at me. Slowly, almost cautiously, he bends his head down to bring his lips to mine. It doesn't last long enough.

"The car is waiting!" Elodie yells from the bathroom.

Right. The movie premiere.

"Wait," Something isn't sitting right with me. I reach towards my bag where my cards are. Dark Signers were after Yusei. That meant- maybe that meant…

"Something's bothering you," I hear Jack rumble behind me.

"Somethin' like that," I agree. My hand draws a single card.

X. Wheel of Fortune. Reversed.

Fucking _shit_. This stands for unnecessary risk. Something bad- something with bad luck- will happen. Failure.

"What did the spirits say?" Jack sounds amused. He's teasing me.

"Put my deck in your coat pocket," I hand him my deck pouch without another thought. "Keep it on you."

Jack raises an eyebrow. "I didn't expect you to trust me with this," Jack accepts my deck with a more serious lilt.

"If I can't trust you," I step forward with a soft smile. "I don't think I could trust anyone."

Jack looks like he wants to say something. He may have if it hadn't been for Elodie's loud cough. "The red carpet is missing its star," Jack declares. "I won't deprive them any longer."

"That's what it is," I snort wryly. He gives me a look, but I know it's playful. I'd rather shove him onto the bed at this moment, but I allow him to escort me out of the hospital room. I turn back to wave at Elodie. I catch her smiling.

I can't help but smile back.

I know she's happy for me.

* * *

Smile. Pose. Repeat.

I always found this part of the parties to be trivial. When I was with Rise, I was mostly ignored. No one wanted to hear from the best friend of an idol. They wanted to hear from the idol herself.

I guess I can't say people don't want to hear from me now- not after my stint in the Fortune Cup, and not with my arm wrapped firmly through Jack's. He's been doing a good job of waving off questions.

The movie itself?

Can't say I remember a single thing. After they announced Jack Atlas was born in the Tops of Neo Domino City, I knew it was just bullshit propaganda my uncle created to boost his own reputation rather than to help Jack.

Also, I wasn't even _mentioned in it._ The nerve.

Jack was off speaking to reporters regarding questions about the movie. I can't say I was interested in anything other than the glass of red wine I was sipping.

"H-Hey!" I hear a voice beside me. I look down to see the reporter from early today- Carly something- wearing one of the ugliest blue dresses I've ever seen in my life.

"You…came," I had to avoid wrinkling my nose. In the background, Rise's singing could be heard. "Did you talk to anyone?"

"I couldn't get close to Jack! All the other reporters pushed me away," Carly whined. "Maybe…you could introduce me?" I could see her wide pleading eyes behind her glasses.

"Maybe," I'm amused. "Is this your first party?"

"Is it that obvious?" Carly grimaces.

"Yeah," A smile tugs on my lips. I felt a pull to this girl I couldn't explain. Was it because my cards told me she would be important to me- or was it because her energy felt so similar to mine? She wasn't a psychic- but I could tell we were similar in our abilities to read fortunes. Was that it? "Next time, I'll take you shopping for a dress."

Carly jumps in the air. "This is my prom dress!"

"From what- 2008?" I have to hide my smile as I take another drink from my glass. "It's a joke," I assure her after seeing her panicked expression.

"I don't think I could get used to this," Carly admits to me. "It's…a lot of people. You know? I feel like I disappear."

"You'll stand out one day," I promise her. "People will be linin' up to give interviews."

"You think so?" Carly seems awestruck.

"Yeah," I nod. I try to say something else, but I'm pushed by a tall blonde woman in a red dress screeching Carly's name. This bitch is _lucky_ I didn't spill my drink on the expensive ass dress I paid for with Jack's card.

"Angela," Carly is using that fake nice voice you only use when you're trying to be polite to someone you despise. The camera guy behind her must have been filing for her. She's another reporter.

"Oh!" Angela finally notices me. "You're…You're…!" It seems she's having trouble remembering my name. "Aren't you Jack Atlas's alleged girlfriend?"

Wow. What a long title.

"Could I ask a few questions?" She holds her microphone up too close to my face. "Is it true Jack Atlas is really from Satellite and Director Godwin is trying to cover it up?"

"How would I know?" I lift my chin in the air. "I'm just the _girlfriend_. You watched the same damn movie I did about his life."

Angela didn't like that response. That was fine. I didn't like her. "There's nothing you want to say about him?" She presses.

I said a word I heard Lucy repeat often around the house. Angela seemed confused, which is fair. I'm not sure if I said _shit_ in Danish or if I said gazebo.

"Angela, leave her alone!" Carly hisses. "She's not interested in answering your questions!"

"That's not true!" Angela responds flippantly.

"No, it's true," I interrupt. My eyes turned to the cameraman. With a slight smirk, I saw the camera begin to spark. The guy swears before he drops the camera onto the ground.

"You idiot!" Angela shrieks. I don't waste time grabbing Carly's hand and pulling her away from the spectacle.

"You…did you do that?" Carly sounds confused. "You're like- you're like that girl from the tournament! The Black Rose Witch!"

"Yeah, but no, I guess?" I let go of her hand. I don't confirm or deny I'm the one who broke the camera. "He might've lost his grip. Trust me. I ain't no Black Rose."

"As if that wasn't obvious," A new voice purred. My eyes turned to see a beautiful woman- Misty Lola- the famous model. Rise had spoken about her before.

"Kallen Rikiya," Misty Lola says my name purposefully. "A pleasure."

"The pleasure is mine," My voice monotone. This vibe I'm getting from her is…weird. I don't like it. Her aura is one I've never seen- a dark green- with something…not there. Not complete.

"And you are?" Misty steps toward Carly until she's directly in front of her. "What an interesting face. May I?" Carly tries to protest as Misty takes off Carly's glasses. Misty has Carly's face in her fingers by her chin. "Yes…I can see it. There's a darkness within you."

"Wh-What?" Carly tries to squirm out of Misty's grin.

"I tell fortunes by reading faces," Misty informs us. I can't help the snort that escapes. "Is that amusing?" Misty raises an eyebrow to me.

"Of course not," I'm trying my best not to sound mocking. I don't think it's working.

"I heard you tell fortunes with the traditional method. With cards," Misty turns her attention to me. I don't answer. "I see what's waiting for you. There's a new road waiting."

"The path of the Fool. I'm aware," My tone is harsher than I meant.

"May I have this dance?" Misty offers her hand out to me. I want to say no.

My eyes drift to Carly's. I mouth the words, "Be back." My glass of wine is dreadfully handed over to the passing by waiter.

And I turn to Misty. "Yes," I take her hand.

She takes the lead. Her arm is around my waist, the other clasped firmly in my hand.

"What do you want?" I'm fully aware Misty only asked so she could talk to me alone.

"You are quick to assume I _want_ something," Misty puts an emphasis on the word with a serene smile.

I pause to collect my thoughts. There's a nagging memory at the edge of my mind- but I can't seem to collect it. I hear Rise's voice- her smooth high notes. "You remind me of the siren, Circe," I say without much thought.

Misty seems intrigued. "Explain it to me why."

I open my mouth. And close it. I don't know _why _I said that.

"Oh. Right," Misty frowns with what I could only describe as sympathy. "I heard about your unfortunate loss of memories."

"From who?" I fire back. The media never reported it. There…shouldn't have been any record.

Misty smiles once more as we turn. I didn't notice before how graceful she was. I thought, for a moment, I saw that glowing spider again- the one from the night before. I blink. And it's gone.

Holy shit, I'm going insane.

"What do you want?" I narrow my eyes at Misty.

"All I can say is that I wanted to see what sort of person you may be," Misty chuckles. "As you know, I know all I need from reading someone's face."

"And mine?" I don't take my eyes off of her.

"It seems you are stuck in the middle of the road- with two paths laid out," Misty recites her fortune. "A new path has opened, one that came from because of a decision made in the past." Misty leans in close.

She says _that_ name.

I let go of her hands with what I assume to be a stunned look. Misty's gaze is neutral- obviously gauging my reaction.

I close my eyes to compose myself. "How do you-" When I open my eyes, she's disappeared. I'm left alone with a stupid expression for cameras to capture.

My thoughts are spinning rapidly. She knew something I didn't. At this point, there's too many obstacles in my life.

Why do I feel guilty?

Gods. I need a drink.

"Found you," I hear a voice next to my ear. I jump, my hand flying up, but it's caught mid-air by-

"Jack," I feel like I sound winded. My eyes are too wide.

He catches the look on my face. He steps closer, his hand tightening around mine. "What happened?" His voice is low.

Me. I happened. I didn't ask you to come because I wanted to be with you. I asked you to come to convince you to continue your journey as a Signer and possibly kill yourself battling the Dark Signers.

I'm a piece of shit.

"Just...thought I remembered something," I whisper with a bitter smile. "I didn't."

The song ends. A new one is starting. Jack pulls me closer. I can see his grimace that he couldn't wrap his arm around my waist with his injured arm wrapped, but I still place my other hand on his shoulder.

"You owe me a dance," Jack growls.

"We're dancing now," I smile genuinely this time. "Enjoyin' the party?"

"Now I am," The corner of his lips turns up. "Kallen." He leans his face in closer.

"I have something to tell you," We both say at the same time. The tension feels lifted. I end up chuckling. "You first," I say.

"Thank you," Jack sways in beat to the song. "You're the one who made me come."

"Wow. Jack Atlas, _thanking_ someone," I tease. "I should call the paparazzi over."

"I'm serious," Jack's eyes are intense. "I lost the tournament. I realize I did win what mattered most."

"What?" I blink.

Jack smirks. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Shut up," I roll my eyes.

"No," Jack took his hand that was wrapped around mine and brought the back of my hand to his lips. "You, Kallen, will always be something more to me." He purposefully says my name. "I won't picture my future without you."

"I'm not that great," I murmur. "Gods, Jack. I'll just ruin you too."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Jack shakes his head. I can't help but stare at him. "You're my one. If I'm the King, you-"

"Don't you dare finish that," I giggle. We're smiling at each other.

I feel…happy.

It feels like there's no one but the two of us dancing. Above it all, I hear Rise's singing.

_You're just too good to be true._

_Can't take my eyes off of you. _

_"_Follow me," My mouth tilts upward. Jack doesn't respond with any more than a curiously raised eyebrow. I lead him up the grand staircase onto the rooftop.

No one was up here. Perfect.

I yank the collar of Jack's shirt to pull his lips down to mine. Jack seems startled at first, but quickly gets the hint.

Then Jack lets out a hiss of pain. I step back, confused, until I remember Jack's arm.

"Shit, sorry," I look up at him in worry. "You 'kay?"

"Damn thing," Jack looks pissed. I can't help but laugh at his pissed-off expression.

"We'll have more chances," I promise him. Jack looks at me.

"Oh?" He has a wolfish smirk.

"After all this is over," I tell him. "We'll figure this out. We'll-" I cut myself off from the sound of a door opening and closing. My eyes turn behind Jack to see who it could be.

I see the blue dress. Shit. I left Carly after I told her I would introduce her to Jack.

Her aura…that's not Carly. I step in front of Jack and block him.

Carly's eyes are purple. She's not wearing her glasses. On her arm is a glowing mark. A duel disk is brandished.

"Jack Atlas," Her voice is different. Lower. Controlled. Not at all like the awkward high-pitch, I heard earlier in the night. "I'm here for a duel."

* * *

**A/N:**

Thank you to grapejuice101 for naming this chapter!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DELILAHAZURE, HOPE YOU ARE FEELING 22

Heads up- updates may be slow because of ygo5dsmonth2020. Check out my profile for the upcoming prompts that will be happening every day for a month starting July 7th!

And, if you have any questions you want to ask me regarding me, my story, my characters, or Kallen, go ahead and ask! I'll be answering questions for Day 10

xoxo


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